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COPWIGHT DEPOSre 



HEART RELIGION 

As Described by John Wesley 

// 



SELECTED FROM WESLEY'S WORKS 

BY 

JAMES MUDGE 



Cincinnati: JENNINGS AND GRAHAM 
New York: EATON AND MAINS 




©CI.A358005 



Contents 

True Religion, 
Genuine Methodism, 
Christian Character, - 
Divine Providence, - 
Christian Perfection, - 
Various Advices, 
Profitable Reflections, 



Preface 



SCATTERED through the voluminous 
writings of Wesley, which circum- 
stances compelled to be largely contro- 
versial, are many gems of practical counsel 
concerning the Christian life. Taken to- 
gether they constitute a veritable devo- 
tional classic which we are confident can 
be read repeatedly with much profit. The 
founder of Methodism was exceptionally 
fitted, by his long, profound experience, his 
wide acquaintance with human nature, his 
vigorous understanding, his philosophical 
mind, to be a spiritual director, a guide of 
souls. He was himself ever on the stretch 
for the highest things, not content with 
common attainments, a hater of the super- 
ficial. He was perpetually inciting his fol- 
lowers to lay hold of all God's rich provi- 
sions for their religious welfare. And this 
little book, while suited to people of all de- 
nominations, will be of special importance 
to Methodists. It should lie on their tables 
for constant consultation. They will hear 
5 



PREFACE 



in It the voice of their providential leader. 
And in proportion as they heed that^voice 
we are persuaded that the Church we love 
will best fulfill its mission and reach its 
largest, truest prosperity. 

The extracts are taken from the stand- 
ard American edition of Wesley's Works, 
published by the Methodist Book Concern 
in 1831. They are mostly from the Ser- 
mons, Volumes I and II, and from the 
Letters and other miscellaneous writings 
in Volumes VI and VII. In a few cases 
there has been abridgment and condensa- 
tion on account of our limited space, but 
the words are all Wesley's, and the sense 
has in no instance been altered. This can 
be verified by the reference at the close of 
each selection. Wesley's weightiest, wisest 
words (his chief message to the people of 
this generation) will be found in these 
pages. James Mudge. 

Maiden^ Mass, 



6 



Heart Religion 



True Religion 

TRUE religion does not consist in any 
ritual observances, nor, indeed, in any 
outward thing whatever, anything exterior 
to the heart, the whole substance thereof 
lying in ^'righteousness, peace, and joy in 
the Holy Ghost." Although true religion 
naturally leads to every good word and 
work, yet the real nature thereof lies 
deeper still, even in ''the hidden man of 
the heart." For neither does religion con- 
sist in orthodoxy nor right opinions, which, 
although they are not properly outward 
things, are not in the heart, but the under- 
standing. A man may be orthodox in 
every point; he may not only espouse right 
opinions, but zealously defend them against 
all opposers; he may think justly concern- 
ing every doctrine contained in the oracles 
of God; he may assent to all the three 
creeds; and yet it is possible he may have 
no religion at all, no more than a Jew, 
7 



HEART RELIGION 



Turk, or Pagan. He may be almost as 
orthodox — as the devil (though indeed not 
altogether, for every man errs in some- 
thing, whereas we can not well conceive 
him to hold any erroneous opinion) and 
may all the while be as great a stranger as 
he to the religion of the heart. (Sermons I, 
61, 62.) 

Whatsoever the generality of people 
may think, it is certain that opinion is not 
religion; no, not right opinion — assent to 
one or to ten thousand truths. There is a 
wide difference between them; even right 
opinion is as distant from religion as the 
east is from the west. Persons may be 
quite right in their opinions and yet have 
no religion at all: and, on the other hand, 
persons may be truly religious who hold 
many wrong opinions. Can any one pos- 
sibly doubt of this w^hile there are Roman- 
ists in the world? For who can deny not 
only that many of them formerly have 
been truly religious (as Thomas k Kempis, 
Gregory Lopez, and the Marquis de Renty) 
but that many of them even at this day 
are real inward Christians? And yet what 
a heap of erroneous opinions do they hold, 
derived by tradition from their fathers. 
8 



TRUE RELIGION 



Nay, who can doubt of it v/hile there are 
Calvinists in the world, asserters of abso- 
lute predestination? For who will dare to 
affirm that none of these are truly religious 
men, real Christians, loving God and all 
mankind? And yet what are all the ab- 
surd opinions of all the Romanists in the 
world compared to that one that the God 
of love, the wise, just, merciful Father of 
the spirits of all flesh, has from all eternity 
fixed an absolute, unchangeable, irresistible 
decree that part of mankind shall be saved, 
do what they will, and the rest damned, 
do what they can. Hence we can not but 
infer that there are ten thousand mistakes 
which may consist with real religion, with 
regard to which every candid, considerate 
man will think and let think. (Sermons 
II, 20.) 

Perhaps there may be some well-mean- 
ing persons who aver whatever change is 
wrought in men, whether in their hearts or 
lives, yet if they have not clear ideas of 
those capital doctrines — the fall of man, 
justification by faith, and of the atonement 
made by the death of Christ, and of His 
righteousness transferred to them — they 
can have no benefit from His death. I dare 
9 



HEART RELIGION 



in no wise affirm this. Indeed, I do not 
believe it. I believe the merciful God re- 
gards the lives and tempers of men more 
than their ideas. I believe He respects the 
goodness of the heart rather than the 
clearness of the head ; and that if the heart 
of a man be filled with the humble, gentle, 
patient love of God and man, God will not 
cast him into everlasting fire prepared for 
the devil and his angels because his ideas 
are not clear or because his conceptions 
are confused. ''Without holiness," I own, 
''no man shall see the Lord;" but I dare 
not add, "or clear ideas." Nor do I con- 
ceive that any man living has a right to 
sentence all the heathen and Mohammedan 
world to damnation. It is far better to 
leave them to Him that made them, and 
who is "the Father of the spirits of all 
flesh:" who is the God of the heathens as 
well as the Christians, and who hateth 
nothing that He hath made. (Sermons 
II, 485.) 

I was exceedingly struck at reading the 
"Life of Mr. Thomas Firmin," having long 
settled it in my mind that the entertaining 
wrong notions concerning the Trinity was 
inconsistent with real piety. But I can 
10 



TRUE RELIGION 



not argue against matter of fact. I dare 
not deny that Mr. Firmin was a pious man, 
although his notions of the Trinity were 
quite erroneous. (Works VII, 574.) 

I will not undertake to defend the ac- 
curacy of this definition of a Church [found 
in the Articles of Religion]. I dare not 
exclude from the Church catholic all those 
congregations in which any un-Scriptural 
doctrines v/hich can not be affirmed to be 
'*the pure Word of God'* (a strong ex- 
pression) are sometimes, yea, frequently, 
preached; neither all those congregations 
in which the sacraments are not ''duly 
administered." Certainly if these things 
are so the Church of Rome is not so much 
as a part of the Catholic Church, seeing 
therein neither is the pure Word of God 
preached nor the sacraments duly adminis- 
tered. Whoever they are that have ''one 
spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one 
God and Father of all," I can easily bear 
with their holding wrong opinions — yea, 
and superstitious modes of worship; nor 
would I on these accounts scruple still to 
include them within the pale of the Cath- 
olic Church; neither would I have any 
objection to receive them, if they desired 
11 



HEART RELIGION 



it, as members of the Church of England. 
(Sermons II, 158.) 

We are called to propagate Bible religion 
through the land: that is, faith working by 
love; holy tempers and holy lives. Let us 
do it with our might. (Letter 462 ; Works 
VII, 79.) 

The religion of the world implies three 
things: L The doing no harm, the ab- 
staining from outward sin, at least from 
such as is scandalous, as robbery, theft, 
common swearing, drunkenness. 2. The 
doing good, the relieving of the poor; the 
being charitable, as it is called. 3. The 
using the means of grace, at least the going 
to Church and to the Lord's Supper. He 
in whom these three marks are found is 
termed by the world a religious man. But 
will this satisfy him who hungers after 
God? No, it is not food for his soul. He 
wants a religion of a nobler kind, a religion 
higher and deeper than this. He can no 
more feed on this poor, shallow, formal 
thing than he can fill his belly ^'with the 
east wind.'' True, he is careful to abstain 
from the very appearance of evil, he is 
zealous of good works, he attends all the 
ordinances of God; but all this is not 
12 



TRUE RELIGION 



what he longs for. This is only the out- 
side of that religion which he insatiably 
hungers after. The knowledge of God in 
Christ Jesus, **the life which is hid with 
Christ in God," the being ''joined unto the 
Lord in one spirit," the having ''fellow- 
ship with the Father and the Son," the 
"walking in the light as God is in the 
light," the being "purified even as He is 
pure" — this is the religion, the righteous- 
ness he thirsts after; nor can he rest till 
he thus rests in God. (Sermons I, 192.) 

True religion is right tempers towards 
God and man. It is in two words, grati- 
tude and benevolence: gratitude to our 
Creator and Supreme Benefactor, and 
benevolence to our fellow creatures. In 
other words, it is the loving God with all 
our heart and our neighbor as ourselves. 
(Sermons II, 432.) 

I v/ill not quarrel with you about any 
opinion. Only vsee that your heart be right 
toward God, that you know and love the 
Lord Jesus Christ, that you love your 
neighbor and walk as your Master walked: 
and I desire no more. I am sick of opinions : 
I am weary to bear them. My soul loath- 
eth this frothy food. Give me solid and 
13 



HEART RELIGION 



substantial religion; give me an humble, 
gentle lover of God and man; a man full 
of mercy and good fruits, without par- 
tiality and without hypocrisy; a man lay- 
ing himself out in the work of faith, the 
patience of hope, the labor of love. Let 
my soul be with these Christians whereso- 
ever they are and whatsoever opinion they 
are of. ''Whosoever" thus ''doeth the 
will of my Father which is in heaven, the 
same is my brother and sister and mother.'' 
(Works V, 173.) 

It matters not a straw whether the 
people are brought into several erroneous 
opinions or no (I speak of such opinions as 
do not touch the foundation). It is scarce 
worth while to spend ten words about it. 
Whether they embrace this religious opin- 
ion or that is no more concern to me than 
whether they embrace this or that system 
of astronomy. Are they brought to holy 
tempers and lives? This is mine and, 
should be, your inquiry. (Works V, 174.) 

Another reason why many deceive 
themselves is because they do not consider 
how far a man may go and yet be in a 
natural or, at best, a legal state. A man 
may be of a compassionate and a benevo- 
14 



TRUE RELIGION 

lent temper; he may be affable, courteous, 
generous, friendly; he may have some 
degree of meekness, patience, temperance, 
and of many other moral virtues. He may 
feel many desires of shaking off all vice 
and of attaining higher degrees of virtue. 
He may abstain from much evil, perhaps 
from all that is grossly contrary to justice, 
mercy, or truth. He may do much good, 
may feed the hungry, clothe the naked, 
relieve the widow and fatherless. He may 
attend public worship, use prayer in pri- 
vate, read many books of devotion. And 
yet for all this he may be a mere natural 
man, knowing neither himself nor God, 
equally a stranger to the spirit of fear and 
to that of love, having neither repented 
nor believed the gospel. (Sermons I, 84.) 

The Christian revelation asserts the 
love of God to be the true foundation both 
of the love of our neighbor and of all other 
virtues, and accordingly places this as 
**the first and great commandment," on 
which all the rest depend. So that, accord- 
ing to the Bible, benevolence, or the love 
of our neighbor, is only the second com- 
mandment. And supposing the Scripture 
to be of God, it is so far from being true 
15 



HEART RELIGION 



that benevolence alone is both the founda- 
tion and the essence of all virtue, that 
benevolence itself is no virtue at all unless 
it spring from the love of God. (Sermons 
II, 274.) 

Condemn no man for not thinking as 
you think: let every one enjoy the full and 
free liberty of thinking for himself; let 
every m^an use his own judgment, since 
every man must give an account of himself 
to God. Abhor every approach in any 
kind or degree to the spirit of persecution. 
If you can not reason or persuade a man 
into the truth, never attempt to force him 
into it. If love will not compel him. to 
come in, leave him to God, the Judge of 
all. (Works V, 253.) 

How far is love, even with many wrong 
opinions, to be preferred before truth itself 
without love. We may die without the 
knowledge of many truths and yet be car- 
ried into Abraham's bosom. But if we die 
without love, what will knowledge avail? 
Just as much as it avails the devil and his 
angels. (Sermons I, 7.) 

But although a difference in opinion or 
modes of worship may prevent an entire 
external union, yet need it prevent our 
16 



TRUE RELIGION 



union in afifectlon? Though we can not 
think aHke, may we not love alike? May 
we not be of one heart, though we are not 
of one opinion? Without all doubt we may. 
Herein all the children of God may unite 
notwithstanding these smaller differences. 
These remaining as they are, they may 
forward one another in love and in good 
works. (Sermons I, 347.) 

It is certain, so long as we know but in 
part, that all men will not see all things 
alike. It is an unavoidable consequence of 
the present weakness and shortness of 
human understanding that several men 
will be of several minds in religion as well 
as in common life. Nay, further: although 
every man necessarily believes that every 
particular opinion which he holds is true, 
yet can no man be assured that all his 
own opinions, taken together, are true. 
Nay, every thinking man is assured they 
are not: seeing to be ignorant of many 
things, and to mistake in some, is the 
necessary condition of humanity. This, 
therefore, he is sensible is his own case. 
He knows in general that he himself is mis- 
taken, although in what particulars he mis- 
takes he does not — perhaps he can not — 
2 17 



HEART RELIGION 

know. Every wise man, therefore, will 
allow others the same liberty of thinking 
which he desires they should allow him, 
and will no more insist on their embracing 
his opinions than he would have them to 
insist in his embracing theirs. He bears 
with those who differ from him, and only 
asks him with whom he desires to unite in 
love that single question, *'Is thy heart 
right as my heart is with thy heart?'* 
(Sermons I, 348.) 

No man can choose for or prescribe to 
another. But every one must follow the 
dictates of his own conscience in simplicity 
and godly sincerity. He must be fully 
persuaded in his own mind and then act 
according to the best light he has. Nor 
has any creature power to constrain another 
to walk by his own rule. God has given 
no right to any of the children of men 
thus to lord it over the conscience of his 
brethren, but every man must judge for 
himself. I dare not, therefore, presume to 
impose my mode of worship upon any 
other. I ask not of him with whom I 
would unite in love, ''Are you of my 
Church? do you join in the same form of 
prayer? do you agree with me in the man- 
18 



TRUE RELIGION 



ner of administering baptism, or the age 
of those to whom it should be adminis- 
tered?'' Nay, I ask not of you (as clear 
as I am in my own mind) whether you 
allow baptism and the Lord's Supper at 
all. 

Let all these things stand by; we will 
talk of them, if need be, at a more con- 
venient season: my only question at pres- 
ent is this: ^'Is thine heart right as my 
heart is with thy heart? Is thy heart right 
with God? Dost thou love God with all 
thy heart? Dost thou seek all thy happi- 
ness in Him alone? And dost thou find 
what thou seekest? Is God the center of 
thy soul, the sum of all thy desires? Hath 
the love of God cast the love of the world 
out of thy soul? Art thou employed in 
doing *not thy own will but the will of 
Him that sent thee?' Art thou more 
afraid of displeasing God than either of 
death or hell? Is thy heart right towards 
thy neighbor? Dost thou love as thyself 
all mankind without exception? Do you 
show your love by your works? If thou 
art thus minded; yea, if thou art but sin- 
cerely desirous of it, and following on till 
thou attain, then 'thy heart is right as my 

19 



HEART RELIGION 



heart is with thy heart.' If it be, give me 
thy hand." (Sermons I, 349-51.) 

He that is by faith born of God sinneth 
not (1) by any habitual sin, for all habitual 
sin is sin reigning; but sin can not reign 
in any that beHeveth. Nor (2) by any 
willful sin, for his will, while he abideth 
in the faith, is utterly set against all sin 
and abhorreth it as deadly poison. Nor (3) 
by any sinful desire, for he continually 
desire th the holy and perfect will of God, 
and any tendency to an unholy desire he, 
by the grace of God, stilleth at the birth. 
Nor (4) doth he sin by infirmities, whether 
in act, word, or thought, for his infirmities 
have no concurrence of his will, and with- 
out this they are not properly sins. Thus 
*'he that is born of God doth not commit 
sin." And though he can not say he hath 
not sinned, yet now ''he sinneth not." 
(Sermons I, 16.) 

Perhaps it is not easy to fix a general 
rule concerning sins of surprise. We can 
not say, either, that men are or that they 
are not condemned for sins of surprise in 
general. But it seems, whenever a believer 
is by surprise overtaken in a fault, there is 
more or less condemnation as there is 
20 



TRUE RELIGION 



more or less concurrence of his will. In 
proportion as a sinful desire or word or 
action is more or less voluntary, so, we 
may conceive, God is more or less dis- 
pleased and there is more or less guilt 
upon the soul. But if so, then there may 
be some sins of surprise which bring much 
guilt and condemnation. For, in some 
instances, our being surprised is owing to 
some willful and culpable neglect or to a 
sleepiness of soul which might have been 
prevented or shaken off before the tempta- 
tion came. (Works I, 72.) 

Every babe in Christ is holy, and yet 
not altogether so. He is saved from sin, 
yet not entirely : it remains^ though it does 
not reign. If you think it does not remain 
(in babes at least, whatever be the case 
with young men or fathers) you certainly 
have not considered the height and depth 
and length and breadth of the law of God 
(even the law of love laid down by Saint 
Paul in the thirteenth of Corinthians), and 
that every disconformity to or deviation 
from this law is sin. A man may be in 
God's favor though he feel sin; but not if 
he yields to it. Having sin does not forfeit 
the favor of God; giving way to sin does. 

21 



HEART RELIGION 

Though the flesh in you ''lust against the 
spirit," you may still be a child of God: 
but if you "walk after the flesh" you are 
a child of the devil. The sum of all is this: 
There are in every person, even after he 
is justified, two contrary principles, nature 
and grace — termed by Saint Paul the flesh 
and the spirit. Hence, although even 
babes in Christ are sanctified, yet it is only 
in part. In a degree, according to the 
measure of their faith, they are spiritual; 
yet, in a degree, they are carnal. Accord- 
ingly believers are continually exhorted to 
watch against the flesh as well as the world 
and the devil. And to this agrees the con- 
stant experience of the children of God. 
While they feel the witness in themselves, 
they feel a will not wholly resigned to the 
will of God. They know they are in Him, 
and yet find a heart ready to depart from 
Him, a proneness to evil in many instances, 
and a backwardness to that which is good. 
Let us, therefore, hold fast the sound 
doctrine *'once delivered to the saints" 
and delivered down by them, with the 
written Word, to all succeeding genera- 
tions: that, although we are renewed, 
cleansed, purified, sanctified the moment 
22 



TRUE RELIGION 



we truly believe in Christ, yet we are not 
then renewed, cleansed, purified altogether; 
but the flesh — the evil nature — still re- 
mains (though subdued) and wars against 
the spirit. So much the more let us use 
all diligence in fighting the good fight of 
faith.'* So much the more earnestly let 
us "watch and pray" against the enemy 
within. (Sermons I, 113-116.) 



23 



Genuine Methodism 



A METHODIST is one that lives ac- 
cording to the method laid down in 
the Bible. (Works VII, 534.) 

By Methodists I mean a people who 
profess to pursue (in whatsoever measure 
they have attained) holiness of heart and 
life, inward and outward conformity in all 
things to the revealed will of God; who 
place religion in a uniform resemblance of 
the great object of it, in a steady imitation 
of Him they worship in all His imitable 
perfections, more particularly in justice, 
mercy, and truth, or universal love filling 
the heart and governing the life. (Works 
V, 249.) 

The distinguishing marks of a Metho- 
dist are not his opinions of any sort. His 
assenting to this or that scheme of re- 
ligion, his embracing any particular set 
of notions, his espousing the judgment 
of one man or of another are all quite 
wide of the point. Whosoever, there- 
fore, imagines that a Methodist is a man 
24 



GENUINE METHODISM 



of such or such an opinion is grossly 
ignorant of the whole affair: he mis- 
takes the truth totally. We believe, in- 
deed, that ''all Scripture is given by the 
inspiration of God;" and herein we are 
distinguished from Jews, Turks, and infi- 
dels. We believe the written Word of 
God to be the only and sufficient rule of 
Christian faith and practice: and herein 
we are fundamentally distinguished from 
those of the Romish Church. We believe 
Christ to be the eternal, supreme God: 
and herein we are distinguished from the 
Socinians and Arians. But as to all 
opinions which do not strike at the root 
of Christianity, we think and let think. 
So that, whatsoever they are, whether 
right or wrong, they are no distinguishing 
marks of a Methodist. (Works V, 240.) 

A Methodist is one who has ''the love 
of God shed abroad in his heart by the 
Holy Ghost given unto him;" one who 
''loves the Lord his God with all his heart, 
and with all his soul, and with all his mind, 
and with all his strength." God is the joy 
of his heart and the desire of his soul, 
which is constantly crying out: "Whom 
have I in heaven but Thee? and there is 
25 



HEART RELIGION 

none upon earth that I desire beside Thee, 
my God and my all. Thou art the strength 
of my heart and my portion forever." He 
is, therefore, happy in God; yea, always 
happy, as having in Him ''a well of water 
springing up into everlasting life" and 
overflowing his soul with peace and joy. 
And he '4n everything giveth thanks," as 
knowing that this (whatsoever it is) ''is the 
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning 
him." From Him, therefore, he cheerfully 
receives all, saying ''Good is the will of 
the Lord;" and whether the Lord giveth 
or taketh away, equally "blessing the 
name of the Lord." For he "hath learned 
in whatsoever state he is therewith to be 
content." "He prays without ceasing." 
It is given him "always to pray and not 
to faint." Not that he is always in the 
house of prayer; though he neglects no 
opportunity of being there. Neither is he 
always on his knees, although he often is, 
nor on his face, before the Lord his God. 
But his heart is ever lifted up to God at 
all times and in all places. In this he is 
never hindered, much less interrupted, by 
any person or thing. In retirement or 
company, in leisure, business, or conversa- 
26 



GENUINE METHODISM 



tion his heart is ever with the Lord. 
Whether he He down or rise up God is in 
all his thoughts; he walks with God con- 
tinually, having the loving eye of his mind 
still fixed upon Him and everywhere still 
seeing Him that is invisible.'* 
He loves his neighbor as himself: he 
loves every man as his own soul. His 
heart is full of love to all mankind, to 
every child of ''the Father of the spirits of 
all flesh.'' His one intention at all times 
and in all things is not to please himself, 
but Him whom his soul loveth. He has a 
single eye. All the commandments of God 
he keeps, and that with all his might. For 
his obedience is in proportion to his love, 
the source from whence it flows. These 
are the marks of a true Methodist. By 
these alone do those who are in derision 
so called desire to be distinguished from 
other men. 

If any man say, ''Why, these are only 
the common fundamental principles of 
Christianity!" thou hast said, so I mean, 
this is the very truth: I know they are no 
other, and I would to God both thou and 
all men knew that I and all who follow my 
judgment do vehemently refuse to be dis- 
27 



HEART RELIGION 



tmguished from other men by any but the 
common principles of Christianity — the 
plain old Christianity that I teach, re- 
nouncing and detesting all other marks of 
distinction. And whosoever is what I 
preach (let him be called what he will, for 
names change not the nature of things), 
he is a Christian, not in name only, but in 
heart and in life. He is inwardly and 
outwardly conformed to the will of God 
as revealed in the written Word. He 
thinks, speaks, and lives according to the 
method laid down in the revelation of 
Jesus Christ. His soul is renewed after 
the image of God, in righteousness and in 
all true holiness. And having the mind 
that was in Christ he so walks as Christ 
also walked. (Works V, 241-245.) [This 
tract, ''The Character of a Methodist," 
Wesley subsequently sa^^s — V, 383 — ''does 
not describe what the Methodists are al- 
ready, as is expressly declared in the 
preface, but what they desire to be and 
w^hat they will be w^hen they fully practice 
the doctrine they hear."] 

This doctrine, full sanctification, is the 
grand depositum which God has lodged 
with the people called Methodists; and 
28 



GENUINE METHODISM 



for the sake of propagating this chiefly He 
appeared to have raised us up. (Works 
VII, 154.) 

You need not wonder that all these — 
insisting upon full and present salvation 
whether men will hear or forbear, preach- 
ing abroad when the weather permits, and 
recommending fasting both by precept and 
example — are opposed not only by formal- 
ists, but by half-Methodists. (Letter 756, 
to Adam Clarke. VII, 203.) 

From this short sketch of Methodism 
(so called) any man of understanding may 
easily discern that it is only plain Scriptural 
religion, guarded by a few prudential regu- 
lations. The essence of it is holiness of 
heart and life ; the circumstantials all point 
to this. And as long as they are joined 
together in the people called Methodists 
no weapon formed against them shall 
prosper. But if even the circumstantial 
parts are despised, the essential will soon 
be lost. And if ever the essential parts 
should evaporate what remains will be 
dung and dross. I fear wherever riches 
have increased (exceeding few are the ex- 
ceptions) the essence of religion — the mind 
that was in Christ — has decreased in the 
29 



HEART RELIGION 



same proportion. Therefore do I not see 
how it is possible in the nature of things 
for any revival of true religion to continue 
long. For religion must necessarily pro- 
duce both industry and frugality, and 
these can not but produce riches. But as 
riches increase, so will pride, anger, and 
love of the world in all its branches. How, 
then, is it possible that Methodism — the 
religion of the heart — though it flourishes 
now as a green bay-tree, should continue 
in this state? Although the form of re- 
ligion remains, the spirit is swiftly vanish- 
ing away. Is there no way to prevent this, 
this continual decline of pure religion ? 
There is one way, and there is no other 
under heaven. If those who ^'gain all 
they can'' and '^save all they can'' will 
likewise ''give all they can," then the more 
they gain the more they will grow in grace 
and the more treasure they will lay up in 
heaven. (Works VII, 317.) 



30 



Christian Character 



Faith and Trust 

IT is a little thing to trust God as far as 
we can see Him, so far as the way lies 
open before us. But to trust in Him when 
we are hedged in on every side, and can 
see no way to escape, this is good and 
acceptable with God. This is the faith of 
Abraham our father; and by the grace of 
God this is your faith. (Letter 371. VH, 
44.) 

I am content to understand exceeding 
little while I am in the body. What He 
does I know not now: it is enough that I 
shall know hereafter. Our business now is 
to love and obey. Knowledge is reserved 
for eternity. (Letter 398. VH, 54.) 

It is no wonder that finite can not 
measure infinite, that man can not com- 
prehend the ways of God, There always 
will be something incomprehensible, some- 
thing like Himself, in all His dispensations. 
We must therefore be content to be igno- 
rant until eternity opens our understand- 
31 



HEART RELIGION 



ing, particularly with regard to the reasons 
of His acting thus or thus. These we shall 
be acquainted with when in Abraham's 
bosom. (Letter 399.) 

I thought you had been in more danger 
of being hurt by worldly abundance than 
by worldly care. But we can not stand 
under either one or the other unless we 
be endued with power from on high, and 
that continually from hour to hour, or 
rather from moment to moment. Yet, dis- 
tress is not sin; we may be grieved and 
still resigned. And this is acceptable with 
God. In all these cases you should re- 
member that observation, never to be let 
slip — 

With even mind thy course of duty run: 
God nothing doeslor suffers to be done 
But thou wouldst do thyself, if thou couldst see 
The end of all events as well as He. 

(Letter 408. VII, 58.) 
Prayer. 

It is certain that Scripture by prayer'* 
almost always means vocal prayer. And 
whosoever intermits this for any time will 
neither pray with the voice nor the heart. 
32 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



It is therefore our wisdom to force our- 
selves to prayer — to pray whether we can 
pray or not. And many times while we 
are so doing, the fire will fall from heaven 
and we shall know our labor was not in 
vain. (Letter 689. VII, 165.) 

For many years I had a kind of scruple 
with regard to praying for temporal things. 
But three or four years ago I was thor- 
oughly persuaded that scruple was unnec- 
essary. Being then straitened much, I 
made it matter of prayer; and I had an 
immediate answer. It is true we can only 
ask outward blessings Vv^ith reserve, **If 
this is best; if it be Thy will.'* And in this 
manner we may certainly plead the prom- 
ise, ''AH these things shall be added unto 
you." (Letter 359. VII, 44.) 

The Leadings of the Spirit. 

A great man observes that there is a 
threefold leading of the Spirit. Some He 
leads by giving them, on every occasion, 
apposite texts of Scripture; some by sug- 
gesting reasons for every step they take — 
the way by which He chiefly leads me ; and 
some by impressions. But he judges the 
last to be the least desirable way, as it is 
3 33 



HEART RELIGION 



often impossible to distinguish dark im- 
pressions from divine, or even diabolical. 
(Letter 728. VII, 187.) 

Trust not in visions or dreams, in sud- 
den impressions or strong impulses of any 
kind. Remember, it is not by these you 
are to know what is the v/ill of God on any 
particular occasion, but by applying the 
plain Scripture rule, with the help of ex- 
perience and reason and the ordinary as- 
sistance of the Spirit of God. (Sermons 
I, 337.) 

In all the duties of com.mon life God 
has given us our reason for a guide. And 
it is only by acting up to the dictates of 
it, by using all the understanding which 
God hath given us, that we can have a 
conscience void of offense towards God 
and towards man. When, therefore, you 
despise or depreciate reason, you must not 
imagine you are doing God service; least 
of all are you promoting the cause of God 
when you are endeavoring to exclude 
reason out of religion. Unless you will- 
fully shut your eyes, you can not but see 
of what service it is in laying the founda- 
tion of true religion, under the guidance 
of the Spirit of God, and in raising the 
34 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



superstructure. You see, it directs us in 
every point, both of faith and practice; 
it guides us with regard to every branch, 
both of inward and outward hoUness. Do 
we not glory in this, that the whole of 
our religion is a ^'reasonable service?" 
Yea, and that every part of it, when it 
is duly performed, is the highest exercise 
of our understanding? (Sermons II, 129, 
132.) 

Joy 

Truth and falsehood, and so right and 
wrong tempers, are often divided by an 
almost imperceptible line. It is the more 
difficult to distinguish right and wrong 
tempers or passions, because in several 
instances the same motion of the blood 
and animal spirits will attend both one and 
the other. Therefore in many cases we 
can not distinguish them but by the 
unction of the Holy One. In the case you 
mention, all self-complacency or self-ap- 
probation is not pride. Certainly there 
may be self-approbation which is not sin, 
though it must occasion a degree of pleas- 
ure. ''This is our rejoicing, even the testi- 
mony of our conscience toward God." 
35 



HEART RELIGION 



And this joy is neither better nor worse for 
being accompanied by a natural motion of 
the blood and spirit. Equally natural and 
equally innocent is the joy which we re- 
ceive from being approved by those we 
love. But in all these instances there is 
need of the utmost care, lest we slide from 
innocent joy or self -approbation into that 
which is not innocent — into pride (think- 
ing of ourselves more highly than we ought 
to think) or vanity, a desire of praise. 
(Letter 489. VII, 90. ) 

If you seek your happiness in God 
alone you will never be disappointed, if in 
anything else you surely will, for all 
creatures are broken cisterns. Let your 
eye be single. Seek one thing — to save 
yourself and those that hear you. (Letter 
794. VII, 215.) 

Every Christian is happy; and he who 
is not happy is not a Christian. If religion 
is happiness, every one that has it must be 
happy. This appears from the very nature 
of the thing, for if religion and happiness 
are in fact the same, it is impossible that 
any man can possess the former without 
possessing the latter also. He can not 
have religion without having happiness, 
36 



I CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 

seeing they are utterly inseparable. And 
! it is equally certain, on the other hand, 
I that he who is not happy is not a Chris- 
tian, seeing if he was a real Christian he 
I could not but be happy. But I allow an 
exception here in favor of those who are 
under violent temptation; yea, and of 
those who are under deep nervous disorders, 
which are indeed a species of insanity. 
The clouds and darkness which then over- 
whelm the soul suspend its happiness, es- 
pecially if Satan is permitted to second 
those disorders by pouring in his fiery 
darts. But, excepting these cases, the ob- 
servation will hold, and it should be well 
attended to: Whoever is not happy — yes, 
happy in God — is not a Christian. (Ser- 
mons II, 183.) 

You seem to apprehend that I believe 
religion to be inconsistent with cheerful- 
ness and with a sociable, friendly temper. 
So far from it that I am convinced, as true 
religion or holiness can not be without 
cheerfulness, so steady cheerfulness, on the 
other hand, can not be without holiness or 
true religion. And I am equally con- 
vinced that religion has nothing austere, 
unsociable, unfriendly in it, but, on the 
37 



HEART RELIGION 



contrary, implies the most winning sweet- 
ness, the most amiable softness and gentle- 
ness. Are you for having as much cheer- 
fulness as you can? So am L Do you 
endeavor to keep alive your taste for all 
the innocent pleasures of life? So do I, 
likewise. Do you refuse no pleasure but 
what is a hindrance to some greater good 
or has a tendency to some evil? It is my 
very rule; and I know no other by which 
a sincere, reasonable Christian can be 
guided. In particular I pursue this rule 
in eating, which I seldom do without 
much pleasure. And this I know is the 
will of God concerning me — that I should 
enjoy every pleasure that leads to my 
taking pleasure in Him, and in such meas- 
ure as most leads to it. I know that, as to 
every action which is naturally pleasing, it 
is His will that it should be so; therefore, 
in taking that pleasure so far as it tends to 
this end (of taking pleasure in God), I do 
His will. Though, therefore, that pleasure 
be in some sense distinct from the love of 
God, yet is the taking of it by no means 
distinct from His will. (Letter 31. VI, 
615.) 



38 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



The Praise of Men 

That is an exceedingly nice question, 
''How far may we desire the approbation 
of good men? " I think it can not be proved 
that such a desire is anywhere forbidden 
in Scripture. But it requires a very strong 
influence of the Holy Spirit to prevent its 
running into excess. (Letter 247. VI, 
778.) 

I am more inclined to congratulate you 
than to condole with you on your present 
situation. Many circumstances concurred 
to expose you to the greatest of all dangers 
— that of being generally commended. It 
is therefore a peculiarly gracious provi- 
dence whereby this danger is turned aside, 
and that without any particular fault or 
even imprudence on your part. You may 
now experience the truth of that fine re- 
flection, ''Nothing is more profitable for 
us than to suffer reproach for a good 
action done v/ith a single eye/* (Letter 
235. VI, 770.) 

I doubt you are in a great deal more 
danger from honor than from dishonor. 
So it is with me. I always find there is 
most hazard in sailing upon smooth water. 
39 



HEART RELIGION 



When the winds blow, and the seas rage, 
even the sleepers will rise and call upon 
God. (Letter 178. VI, 729.) 

Growth 

At many times our advances in the 
race that is set before us are clear and 
perceptible; at other times they are no 
more perceptible (at least to ourselves) 
than the growth of a tree, (Letter 498, 
VII, 93.) 

Our point is, To improve by everything 
that occurs — by good or ill success, so 
called; by sickness or health; by ease or 
pain — and this we can do through Christ 
strengthening us. We know chance is an 
empty sound: the Lord sitteth on His 
throne and ruleth all things well. Love 
Him, trust Him, praise Him. (Letter 517. 
VII, 100.) 

Remember the wise saying of Mr. 
Dodd, ''It is a great loss to lose an af- 
fliction." If you are no better for it, you 
lose it. But you may gain thereby both 
humility, seriousness, and resignation. 
(Letter 690. VII, 166.) 

In religion, as well as in all things else, 
40 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



it is use that brings perfectness. I have 
long labored under the same infirmity 
with you, and I find but one way to con- 
quer: Take up your cross. When the 
occasion offers, break through. Speak, 
though it is pain and grief unto you, and 
it will be easier and easier, (Letter 690. 
VII, 167.) 

We are sure the means which our blessed 
Lord uses to conform us to His image are 
(all circumstances considered) the very 
best, for He can not but do all things well ; 
therefore whenever it pleases Him to send 
affliction, then afifliction is best. Yet we 
must not imagine He is tied down to this, 
or that He can not give any degree of 
holiness without it. We have reason to 
believe, from the earliest records, that 
Saint Paul suffered a thousand times more 
than Saint John; and yet one can hardly 
doubt but Saint John was as holy as he, 
or any of the apostles. Therefore stand 
ready for whatsoever our Lord shall send; 
but do not require Him to send you af- 
fliction. Perhaps He will take another 
way: He will overpower your whole soul 
with peace and joy and love, and thereby 
41 



HEART RELIGION 



work in you a fuller conformity to Himself 
than you ever experienced yet. Hold fast 
to this: 

All *s alike to me, so 1 

In my Lord may live and die." 

(Letters 623. VII, 143.) 

The Use of Money 

Gain all you can, without hurting 
either yourself or your neighbor, in soul or 
body, by applying hereto with uninter- 
mitted diligence and with all the under- 
standing which God has given you. Save 
all you can by cutting off every expense 
which serves only to indulge foolish desire 
to gratify either the desire of the flesh, the 
desire of the eye, or the pride of life, 
whether for yourself or your children. 
And then give all you can, or, in other 
words, give all you have to God. Do not 
stint yourself, like a Jew rather than a 
Christian, to this or that proportion. 
Render unto God not a tenth, not a third, 
not half, but all that is God's, be it more 
or less; by employing all on yourself, your 
household, the household of faith, and all 
mankind, in such a manner that you may 
give a good account of your stewardship 
42 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



when ye can be no longer stewards: in 
such a manner as the oracles of God direct 
both by general and particular precepts. 
(Sermons I, 448.) 

I have not known three score rich per- 
sons, perhaps not half the number, during 
three score years who, as far as I can judge, 
were not less holy than they would have 
been had they been poor. By riches I 
mean not thousands of pounds, but any 
more than will procure the conveniences of 
life. Thus I account him a rich man who 
has food and raiment for himself and 
family without running into debt, and 
something over. And how few there are 
in these circumstances who are not hurt 
if not destroyed thereby. Yet who takes 
warning? (Sermon II, 112.) 

How To Read the Bible 

I am a creature of a day, passing 
through life as an arrow through the air. 
I am a spirit come from God, and returning 
to God; just hovering over the great gulf, 
till a few moments hence I am no more 
seen. I drop into an unchangeable eternity. 
I want to know one thing — the way to 
43 



HEART RELIGION 

heaven; how to land safe on that happy 
shore. God Himself has condescended to 
teach the way; for this very end He came 
from heaven. He hath written it down in 
a Book. O give me that Book! At any 
price give me that Book of God! I have 
it; here is knowledge enough for me. Let 
me be a man of one Book. Here, then, I 
am, far from the busy ways of men. I sit 
down alone; only God is here. In His 
presence I open, I read this Book, for this 
end — to find the way to heaven. Is there 
a doubt concerning the meaning of what 
I read? Does anything appear dark or 
intricate? I lift up my heart to the Father 
of lights: '^Lord, is it not Thy Word, 'If 
any man lack wisdom, let him ask of 
God?'" Thou ''givest liberally and up- 
braidest not." Thou hast said, ''If any be 
willing to do Thy will, he shall know." I 
am willing to do; let me know Thy w^ill. 
I then search after and consider parallel 
passages of Scripture, "comparing spir- 
itual things with spiritual." I meditate 
thereon, with all the attention and earnest- 
ness of which my mind is capable. If any 
doubt still remains I consult those who are 
experienced in the things of God, and then 
44 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



the writings whereby, being dead, they yet 
speak. And what I thus learn, that I 
teach. (Sermons I, 6.) 

Rash Judgment 

Jesus did not trust Himself to them.*' 
Let us learn hence not rashly to put our- 
selves into the power of others. Let us 
study a wise and happy medium between 
universal suspiciousness and that easiness 
which would make us the property of every 
pretender to kindness and respect. (Notes 
on the New Testament, 218.) 

There is no station in life, nor any 
period of time, wherein this caution, 
''Judge not,'' is not needful for every 
child of God. For occasions of judging 
can never be wanting; and the tempta- 
tions to it are innumerable, many whereof 
are so artfully disguised that we fall into 
the sin before v/e suspect any danger. 
And unspeakable are the mischiefs pro- 
duced hereby, always to him that judges 
another, thus wounding his own soul and 
exposing himself to the righteous judg- 
ment of God — and frequently to those who 
are judged, whose hands hang down, who 
are weakened and hindered in their course, 
45 



HEART RELIGION 



if not wholly turned out of the way, and 
caused to draw back even to perdition. 

What is the judging which is here for- 
bidden? Itjs not the same as evil speak- 
ing, although it is frequently joined there- 
with. Evil speaking is the relating any- 
thing that is evil concerning an absent 
person, whereas judging may indifferently 
refer either to the absent or the present. 
Neither does it necessarily imply the 
speaking at all, but only the thinking evil 
of another. Not that all kinds of think- 
ing evil of others is that judging which our 
Lord condemns. If I see one commit rob- 
bery or murder, or hear him blaspheme 
the name of God, I can not refrain from 
thinking evil of the robber or murderer. 
Yet this is not evil judging; there is no 
sin in this nor anything contrary to tender 
affection. 

The thinking of another in a manner 
that is contrary to love is that judging 
which is here condemned ; and this may be 
of various kinds. For, first, we may think 
another to blame when he is not. We may 
lay to his charge (at least in our own 
minds) the things of which he is not guilty, 
the words which he has never spoken, or 
46 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



the actions which he has never done. Or 
we may think his manner of acting was 
wrong, although in reahty it was not. 
And even where nothing can justly be 
blamed, either in the thing itself or in the 
manner of doing it, we may suppose his 
intention v/as not good, and so condemn 
him on that ground; at the same time 
that he who searches the heart sees his 
simplicity and godly sincerity. 

But we may not only fail into the sin 
of judging by condemning the innocent, 
but also, secondly, by condemning the 
guilty in a higher degree than he deserves. 
This species of judging is likewise an of- 
fense against justice as well as mercy, and 
yet is such an offense as nothing can secure 
us from but the strongest and tenderest 
affection. Without this we readily suppose 
one who is acknowledged to be in fault to 
be more in fault than he really is. We 
undervalue whatever good is found in 
him. Nay, we are not easily induced to 
believe that anything good can remain in 
him in whom we have found anything that 
is evil. 

All this shows a manifest want of that 
love which thinketh no evil; which never 
47 



HEART RELIGION 



draws an unjust or unkind conclusion from 

any premises whatsoever. Love will not 
infer from a person's falling once into an 
open act of sin that he is accustomed so to 
do that he is habitually guilty of it; and 
if he was habitually guilty once, love does 
not conclude he is so still, much less that 
if he is now guilty of this therefore he is 
guilty of other sins also. These evil 
reasonings all pertain to that sinful judg- 
ing vvhich our Lord here guards us against, 
and which we are in the highest degree 
concerned to avoid, if we love either God 
or our own souls. 

There is a third sort of sinful judging, 
which is the condemning any person at all 
where there is not sufficient evidence. And 
be the facts we suppose ever so true, yet 
that does not acquit us. For they ought 
not to have been supposed, but proved; 
and till they were, we ought to have 
formed no judgment — I say, till they were; 
for neither are we excused, although the 
facts admit of ever so strong a proof, unless 
that proof be adduced before we pass 
sentence, and compared with the evidence 
on the other side. Nor can we be excused 
if ever we pass a full sentence before the 
48 



i CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 

j accused has spoken for himself. Even a 
Jew might teach us this as a mere lesson 

I of justice abstracted from mercy and 
brotherly love. ^'Doth our law/' says 
Nicodemus, judge any man before it hear 
him and know what he doeth?" Indeed, 
we could not easily fall into sinful judging 
were we only to observe that rule which 
Seneca affirms to have been the measure of 
his own practice: ''I am so far," says he, 
**from lightly believing every man's or any 
man's evidence against another that I do 
not easily or immediately believe a man's 
evidence against himself. I always allow 
him second thoughts, and many times 
counsel, too." Go, thou who art called a 
Christian, and do likewise, lest the heathen 
rise and condemn thee in that day. (Ser- 
mons I, 279-82.) 

Union With God's Will 

To be incapable of sympathizing with 
the distressed is not a desirable state. * 
Nor would one wish to extirpate either 
sorrow or any other of our natural pas- 
sions. And yet it is both possible and 
highly desirable to attain the same experi- 
ence with the Marquis de Renty, who, on 
4 49 



HEART RELIGION 



occasion of his lady's illness, told those 
who inquired how he could bear it, '*I 
can not but say that my nature is deeply 
affected with the apprehension of so great 
a loss. And yet I feel such a full acquies- 
cence in the will of God, that were it proper 
I could dance and sing." (VII, 22.) 

A while ago I was concerned at hearing 
that you were unwell, although I could not 
doubt but it was ordered well by an unerr- 
ing Providence as a means of keeping you 
dead to all below and of quickening your 
affections to things above. And, indeed, 
this is the rule whereby the inhabitants of 
a better world judge of good and evil. 
Whatever raises the mind to God is good, 
and in the same proportion as it does this. 
Whatever draws the heart from its center 
is evil, and more or less so as it has more 
or less of this effect. You have accordingly 
found pain, sickness, bodily weakness to be 
real goods; as bringing you nearer and 
nearer to the fountain of all happiness and 
holiness. And yet it is certain nature 
shrinks from pain, and that without any 
blame. Only in the same moment that we 
say, ''If it be possible, let this cup pass 
from me," the heart should add, like our 
50 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



great Pattern, Nevertheless, not as I 
will, but as Thou wilt." (Works VII, 22.) 

To us it may seem that uninterrupted 
health would be a greater help to us than 
pain or sickness. But herein we certainly 
are mistaken; we are not such good 
judges in our own cause. You may truly 
say, Health I shall have if health be 
best.'' But in this and all things you may 
trust Him that loves you. Indeed, nervous 
disorders are, of all others, as one observes, 
enemies to the joy of faith. But the es- 
sence of it, that confidence in a loving, 
pardoning God, they can neither destroy 
nor impair. Nay, as they keep you dead 
to all below, they may forward you therein ; 
and they may increase your earnestness 
after that pure love which turns earth into 
paradise. (Works VII, 23.) 

I am not sorry that you have trials; 
they are intended to show you your own 
helplessness and to give you a fuller confi- 
dence in Him who has all power in heaven 
and in earth. You have reason to cast all 
your care upon Him, for He has dealt 
bountifully with you. When any trial 
comes, see that you do not look at the 
thing itself, but immediately look unto 

51 

I 



HEART RELIGION 



Jesus. Reason not upon it, but believe. 
See the hand of God in Shimei's tongue. 
Stay your whole soul upon Hinfi who will 
never leave you nor forsake you. Tell 
Him simply all you fear, all you feel, all 
you want. Pour out your soul into His 
bosom. And cast not away your confi- 
dence which hath great recompense of re- 
ward. (Works VII, 40.) 

Everything is a blessing, a means of 
holiness, as long as you can clearly say, 
''Lord, do with me and mine what Thou 
wilt, and when Thou wilt, and how Thou 
wilt." (Works VII, 60.) 

Never miake it matter of reasoning that 
you have not either a larger or a smaller 
share of suffering. You shall have exactly 
what is best both as to kind, degree, and 
time. O what a blessing it is to be in His 
hand who ''doeth all things well.'' (Works 
VII, 92.) 

Entire resignation implies entire love. 
Give Him your will, and you give Him your 
heart. (Works VI, 778.) 

Listen to Marquis de Renty: ''You 
will only be content to convert worlds? 
You shall hew wood, or carry brick and 
mortar ; and when you do this in obedience 
52 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 

to the order of Providence, it shall be more 
profitable to your own soul than the 
other/' You may remember Marquis de 
Renty's other remark: ^'I then saw that a 
w^ell-instructed Christian is never hindered 
by any person or thing. For whatever 
prevents his doing good works gives him 
a fresh opportunity of submitting his will 
to the will of God, which at that time is 
more pleasing to God, and more profitable 
to his soul, than anything else which he 
could possibly do^ (Works VI, 782.) 

Self-Examination 

Do you find no interruption or abate- 
ment, at any time, of your joy in the 
Lord? Do you continually see God; and 
that without any cloud, or darkness, or 
mist between? Do you pray without 
ceasing, without ever being diverted from 
it by anything inward or outward? Can 
you be thankful for everything, without 
exception? And do you feel all working 
together for good? Do you do nothing 
great or small merely to please yourself? 
Do you feel no touch of any desire or af- 
fection but what springs from the pure 
love of God? Do you speak no word but 
53 



HEART RELIGION 



from a principle of love, arid under the 
guidance of His Spirit? (Works VI, 725.) 

Do you never find any wandering 
thoughts in prayer or useless thoughts at 
other seasons? Have you so great a com- 
mand over your imagination as to keep 
out all unprofitable images? at least to 
banish them the moment they appear, so 
that they neither trouble nor sully your 
soul? Do you find every reasoning brought 
into captivity to the obedience of Christ? 
How did you feel yourself under your late 
trial? Did you find no stirring of resent- 
ment, no remains of your own will, no 
desire or wish that things should be other- 
wise? In one sense you do desire it, be- 
cause you desire that God should be glori- 
fied in all things. But did not the falling 
short of that desire lessen your happiness? 
Had you still the same degree of com- 
munion with God, the same joy in the 
Holy Ghost? (Works VI, 726.) 

Do you continually see Him that is 
invisible? Have you as clear an evidence 
of the spiritual as of the visible world? 
Are you never in a hurry so as to dim the 
eye of the soul, or make you inattentive 
to the voice of God? Can you in pain and 
54 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



trouble rejoice in hope of the glory of 
God? Are you now as zealous of good 
works and as active therein as ever you 
was? And do you now live in eternity, and 
walk in eternity, and experience the life 
that is hid with Christ in God? (Works 
VII, 128, 210.) 

Miscellaneous 

Those who have tasted of the good- 
ness of God are frequently wanting in de- 
claring it. They do not, as they ought, 
stir up the gift of God which is in every 
believer, by exciting one another to con- 
tinual thankfulness and provoking each 
other to love and good works. We should 
never be content to make a drawn battle, 
to part neither better nor worse than we 
met. Christian conversation is too precious 
a tale to be squandered away. (Works 
VI, 764.) 

You do not at all understand my man- 
ner of life. Though I am always in haste, I 
am never in a hurry, because I never 
undertake any more work than I can go 
through with perfect calmness of spirit. 
(Works VI, 784.) 

"Let every one wherein he is called 
55 



HEART RELIGION 



therein abide with God," doing all things 
as unto God, and as in His immediate 
presence. They who thus abide with God 
preserve a holy indifference with regard to 
outward things. (Notes on the New Tes- 
tament, 421.) 

Let us carefully distinguish between 
those things wherein Christ is our pattern 
and those which were peculiar to His 
office. His extraordinary office justified 
Him in using that severity of language, 
when speaking of wicked princes and cor- 
rupt teachers, to which we have no call, 
and by which we should only bring scandal 
on religion and ruin on ourselves, while we 
irritated rather than convinced or reformed 
those whom we so indecently rebuked, 
(New Testament Notes, 179.) 

You say, ''Every one has some pur- 
suit, therefore a man can not be always in 
communion with God." I deny the con- 
sequence. While Marquis de Renty was 
serving the poor he was in constant com- 
munion with God. So was Gregory Lopez 
while he was writing books. ''At first, 
indeed," as Lopez observed, "large mani- 
festations from God were apt to suspend 
the exercise of his senses, as well as of his 

56 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



understanding. But after some time they 
made no difference at all, but left him the 
full exercise of his understanding and 
senses/* I remember a much later in- 
stance of the same kind. An old clergyman 
told me some years since: ^^I asked Mr. 
Boehm (chaplain to Prince George of Den- 
mark), *Sir, when you are in such a hurry 
of business, surrounded with a crowd of 
people, hearing one and dictating to an- 
other at the same time, does it not inter- 
rupt your mental prayer?* He answered 
immediately, *A11 that hurry no more hin- 
ders my communion with God than if I 
was all the time sitting alone in my study 
or kneehng at the altar.**' No business, 
therefore, of any kind, no conversation, 
need hinder one that is strong in faith from 
rejoicing evermore, praying without ceas- 
ing, and in everything giving thanks. Fol- 
low after this, and you will surely attain 
it. (Works VII, 93.) 

Let us not, then, trouble and embroil 
ourselves and our neighbors with un- 
profitable disputations, but all agree to 
spread to the uttermost of our power the 
quiet and peaceable gospel of Christ. Let 
us make the best of whatever ministry 
57 



HEART RELIGION 



the providence of God has assigned us. 
Near fifty years ago a great and good man, 
Doctor Potter, then Archbishop of Can- 
terbury, gave me an advice for which I 
have ever since had occasion to bless God: 
''If you desire to be extremely useful, do 
not spend your time and strength in con- 
tending for or against such things as are 
of a disputable nature, but in testifying 
against open, notorious vice and in pro- 
moting real essential holiness.'' Let us 
keep to this, leaving a thousand disputable 
points to those that have no better busi- 
ness than to toss the ball of controversy 
to and fro; let us keep close to our point. 
Let us bear a faithful testimony in our 
several stations against all ungodliness and 
unrighteousness, and with all our might 
recommend that inward and outward holi- 
ness ''without which no man shall see the 
Lord." (Sermons II, 376.) 

Humility, a right judgment of our- 
selves, cleanses our minds from those high 
conceits of our own perfections, from that 
undue opinion of our own abilities and 
attainments, which are the genuine fruit 
of a corrupted nature. (Sermons I, 148.) 

What is self-denial? \Mierein are we to 
58 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



deny ourselves? And whence does the 
necessity of this arise? I answer, The will 
of God is the supreme, unalterable rule for 
every intelligent creature; equally binding 
every angel in heaven and every man on 
earth. Nor can it be otherwise ; this is the 
natural, necessary result of the relation 
between creatures and their Creator. But 
if the will of God be our one rule of action 
in everything, great and small, it follows 
by undeniable consequences that we are 
not to do our own will in anything. Here, 
therefore, we see at once the nature, with 
the ground and reason, of self-denial. We 
see the nature of self-denial ; it is the deny- 
ing or refusing to follow our own will from 
a conviction that the will of God is the 
only rule of action to us. And we see the 
reason thereof, because we are creatures; 
because *4t is He that hath made us and 
not we ourselves." (Sermons I, 428.) 

There is no employment of our time, 
no action or conversation, that is purely 
indifferent. All is good or bad, because all 
our time, as everything we have, is not 
our own. All these are, as our Lord speaks, 
the property of another — of God our 
Creator. Now, these either are or are not 
59 



HEART RELIGION 



employed according to His will. If they 
are so employed, all is good; if they are 
not, all is evil. Again, it is His will that 
we should continually grow in grace, and 
in the living knowledge of our Lord Jesus 
Christ. Consequently every thought, word, 
and work, whereby this knowledge is in- 
creased, whereby we grow in grace, is 
good; and every one whereby this knowl- 
edge is not increased is truly and properly 
evil. (Sermons I, 456.) 

What is the source of that desire to 
please, which we term courtesy? The 
same apostle that teaches us to be courteous 
teaches us to honor all men, and his 
Master teaches me to love all men. Join 
these together, and what will be the ef- 
fect? A poor wretch comes to me for 
alms; I look and see him covered with 
dirt and rags. But through these I see 
one that has an immortal spirit, made to 
know and love and dwell with God in 
eternity. I honor him for his Creator's 
sake. I see through all these rags that he 
is purpled over with the blood of Christ. 
I love him for the sake of his Redeemer. 
The courtesy, therefore, which I feel and 
show towards him is a mixture of the 
60 



CHRISTIAN CHARACTER 



honor and love which I bear to the off- 
spring of God, the purchase of His Son^s 
blood, and the candidate for immortality. 
This courtesy let us feel and show towards 
all men; and we shall please all men to 
their edification. (Sermons II, 348.) 

''When ye have done all, say. We are 
unprofitable servants.*' For a man can 
not profit God. Happy is he who judges 
himself an unprofitable servant; miser- 
able is he whom God pronounces such. 
But though we are unprofitable to Him, 
our serving Him is not unprofitable to us. 
For He is pleased to give, by His grace, a 
value to our good works which, in conse- 
quence of His promise, entitles us to an 
eternal reward. (Notes, 188.) 

''Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. '* 
Herein is contained the whole of our salva- 
tion. It is a strong and beautiful expres- 
sion for the most intimate union with Him, 
and being clothed with all the graces 
which were in Him. The apostle does not 
say, "Put on purity and sobriety, peace- 
fulness and benevolence." But he says all 
this, and a thousand times more at once, 
in sa^/ing, "Put on Christ." (Notes, 399.) 

"The Father of mercies, and God of all 
61 



HEART RELIGION 



comfort/* Mercies are the fountain of 
comfort; comfort is the outward expres- 
sion of mercy. God shows His mercy in 
the affliction itself. He gives comfort both 
in and after the affliction. Therefore is 
He termed the God of all comfort. Blessed 
be this God! (Notes on the New Testa- 
ment, 448.) 



62 



Divine Providence 

THERE is scarce any doctrine in the 
whole compass of revelation which is 
of deeper importance than this of Divine 
Providence. And, at the same time, there 
is scarce any that is so little regarded, and 
perhaps so little understood. But whether 
we comprehend it or no, we are certain that 
so it is. As certain as it is that He created 
all things, and that He still sustains all 
that He created, so certain it is that He 
is present at all times, in all places; that 
He is above, beneath; that He besets us 
behind and before,'* and, as it were, ^'lays 
His hand upon us.'' We allow, '^such 
knowledge is too high" and wonderful for 
us; we ''can not attain unto it." The 
manner of His presence no man can ex- 
plain, nor, probably, any angel in heaven. 
Perhaps what the ancient philosopher 
speaks of the soul, in regard to its residence 
in the body, might in some sense be spoken 
of the Omnipresent Spirit, in regard to the 
63 



HEART RELIGION 



universe: That He is not only ''all in the 
whole, but all in every part." Be this as 
it may, it can not be doubted but He sees 
every atom of His creation, and that a 
thousand times more clearly than we see 
the things that are close to us; even of 
these we see only the surface, while He 
sees the inmost essence of everything. 

And is the Creator and Preserver of the 
world unconcerned in what He sees therein? 
On the contrary, He hath expressly declared 
that as His ''eyes are over all the earth," 
so He "is loving to every man, and His 
mercy is over all His works." Conse- 
quently He is concerned every moment for 
what befalls every creature upon earth, 
and more especially for everything that 
befalls any of the children of men. It is 
indeed hard to comprehend this; nay, it is 
hard to believe it, considering the compli- 
cated wickedness and the complicated 
misery which we see on every side. But 
believe it we must, unless we will make 
God a liar, although it is sure no man can 
comprehend it. It behooves us, then, to 
humble ourselves before God and to ac- 
knowledge our ignorance. 

His power, being equal to His wisdom 
64 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



and goodness, continually co-operates with 
them. And to Him all things are possible; 
He doeth whatsoever pleaseth Him in 
heaven and earth, and in the sea and in all 
deep places; and we can not doubt of His 
exerting all His power, as in sustaining, so 
in governing all that He hath made. Only 
He that can do all things else can not deny 
Himself; He can not counteract Himself 
or oppose His own work. Were it not for 
this. He would destroy all sin, with its 
attendant pain, in a moment. An atten- 
tive inquirer may easily discern the whole 
frame of Divine Providence is so consti- 
tuted as to afford man ev^ery possible help 
in order to his doing good and eschewing 
evil, which can be done without turning 
man into a machine; without making him 
incapable of virtue or vice, reward or 
punishment. 

Admitting that in the common course 
of nature God acts by general laws, He 
has never precluded Himself from making 
exceptions to them whensoever He pleases, 
either by suspending that law in favor of 
those that love Him or by employing His 
mighty angels, by either of which means 
He can deliver out of all danger them that 
5 65 



HEART RELIGION 



trust in Him. ^'What! You expect 
miracles, then?'* Certainly I do, if I be- 
lieve the Bible, for the Bible teaches me 
that God hears and answers prayer; but 
every answer to prayer is, properly, a 
miracle. For if natural cauvses take their 
course, if things go on in their natural way, 
it is no answer at all. Gravitation, there- 
fore, shall cease — that is, cease to operate — 
whenever the Author of it pleases. 

Do you say that the little concerns of 
this or that man are beneath the notice of 
the Almighty? Then you do not consider 
that great and little are merely relative 
terms which have place only with respect 
to men. With regard to the Most High, 
man, and all the concerns of man, are 
nothing — less than nothing — before Him. 
And nothing is small in His sight that, in 
any degree, affects the welfare of any that 
fear God and work righteousness. What 
becomes, then, of your general providence 
exclusive of a particular? Let it be for- 
ever rejected by all rational men as absurd, 
self-contradictory nonsense. We may, 
then, sum up the whole Scriptural doc- 
trine of Providence in that fine saying of 
Saint Austin, ^'God so presides over indi- 
66 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



viduals as over umversals, and over uni- 
versals as over individuals." 

What is there either in heaven or in 
earth that can harm you while you are 
under the care of the Creator and Gov- 
ernor of heaven and earth? Let all earth 
and all hell combine against you; yea, the 
whole animate and inanimate creation — 
they can not harm while God is on your 
side: His favorable kindness covers you 
as with a shield. (Sermons II, 101-107.) 

I would particularly remark (what per- 
haps has not been sufficiently observed) 
that God is the true Author of all the 
m.otion that is in the universe. To spirits, 
indeed, He has given a small degree of 
self-moving power; but not to matter. 
All matter, of whatever kind it be, is ab- 
solutely and totally inert. It does not — 
can not, in any case — move itself; and 
whenever any part of it seems to move it 
is in reality moved by something else. If 
we speak the truth, neither the sun, moon, 
nor stars move. None of these move 
themselves; they are all moved every 
moment by the Almighty Hand that made 
them. God is the life of every thing that 
lives in any kind or degree. He is the 
67 



HEART RELIGION 



source of the lowest species of life — that 
of vegetables; as being the source of all 
the motion on which vegetation depends. 
He is the fountain of the life of animals, 
the power by which the heart beats and 
the circulating juices flow. He is the foun- 
tain of all the life which man possesses in 
common with other animals. And if we 
distinguish the rational from the animal 
life, He is the source of this also. (Sermons 
II, 178-180.) 

I know not what things they are which 
are not owing to the providence of God; 
in ordering, or at least in governing, of 
which this is not either directly or re- 
motely concerned. I except nothing but 
sin; and even in the sins of others I see 
the providence of God to me. I do not 
say His general providence, for this I take 
to be a sounding word which means just 
nothing. And if there be a particular 
providence, it extends to all persons and 
all things. So our Lord understood it, or 
He never could have said, ''Even the 
hairs of your head are all numbered" and 
"Not a sparrow falleth to the ground with- 
out your Father." But if it be so, if God 
preside over the whole universe as over 

68 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



every single person and over every single 
person as over the whole universe, what is 
it (except only our own sins) which we are 
not to ascribe to the providence of God? 
(Sermons I, 335.) 

God is in all things; we are to see the 
Creator in the glass of every creature; we 
should use and look upon nothing as sepa- 
rate from God, but with a true magnifi- 
cence of thought survey heaven and earth 
and all that is therein as contained by 
God in the hollow of His hand, who by 
His intimate presence holds them all in 
being, who pervades and actuates the 
whole created frame, and is, in a true 
sense, the soul of the universe. The pure 
in heart see all things full of God. They 
see Himx filling all in all. They see Him 
in all His providences, see His hand over 
them for good, giving them all things in 
weight and measure, numbering the hairs 
of their head, making a hedge round about 
them and all that they have, and disposing 
all the circumstances of their life accord- 
ing to the depth both of His wisdom and 
mercy. (Sermons I, 200, 202.) 

We may learn hence (Acts 27:31) to 
use the most proper means for security 
69 



HEART RELIGION 



and success even while we depend on 
Divine Providence and wait for the ac- 
comphshment of God's own promise. He 
never designs any promise should encourage 
rational creatures to act in an irrational 
manner, or to remain inactive when He 
has given them natural capacities of doing 
som.ething, at least, for their own benefit. 
To expect the accomplishment of any 
promise, without exerting these, is at best 
vain and dangerous presumption, if all 
pretense of relying upon it be not profane 
hypocrisy. (Notes, 354.) 

Dost thou believe that He now **up- 
holdeth all things by the word of His 
power?'' And that He governs even the 
most minute, even the most noxious, to 
His own glory and the good of them that 
love Him? (Sermons I, 350.) 

Should it be inquired how the servants 
of the devil will persecute the children of 
God, it ma}^ be answered in general, Just 
in that manner and measure which the 
wise Disposer of all sees will be most for 
His glory; will tend most to His chil- 
dren's growth in gra.ce and the enlarge- 
ment of His own Kingdom. There is no 
one branch of God's government of the 
70 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



world which is more to be admired than 
this. His ear is never heavy to the threat- 
enings of the persecutor or the cry of the 
persecuted. His eye is ever open and His 
hand stretched out to direct even the mi- 
nutest circumstance. When the storm shall 
begin, how high it shall rise, which way it 
shall point its course, when and how it 
shall end, are all determined by His un- 
erring wisdom. The ungodly are only a 
sword of His, an instrument which He 
uses as it pleaseth Him, and which itself, 
when the gracious ends of His providence 
are answered, is cast into the fire. (Ser- 
mons I, 206.) 

Do not parents feed the atheism of their 
children by ascribing the works of creation 
to nature? Does not the common way of 
talking about nature leave God quite out 
of the question? Do they not feed this 
disease, whenever they talk, in the hearing 
of their children, of any thing happening 
so or so? Of things coming by chance? 
Of good or ill fortune? As also when they 
ascribe this or that event to the wisdom 
or power of men; or, indeed, to any other 
second causes, as if these governed the 
world? Yea, do they not feed it unawares 
71 



HEART RELIGION 



while they are talking of their own goodness 
or wisdom or power to do this or that 
without expressly mentioning that all these 
are the gift of God? All tends to confirm 
the atheism of their children and to keep 
God out of their thoughts. 

But we are by no means clear of their 
blood if we only go thus far, if we barely 
do not feed their disease. What can be 
done to cure it? From the first dawn of 
reason continually inculcate, God is in this 
and every place. God made you and me, 
and the earth, and the sun, and the rr.oon, 
and everything. And everything is His. 
God orders all things; He makes the sun 
shine, and the wind blow, and the trees 
bear fruit. Nothing comes by chance. 
That is a silly word ; there is no such thing 
as chance. As God made the world, so He 
governs the world, and everything that is 
in it. Not so much as a sparrow falls to 
the ground without the will of God. And 
as He governs all things, so He governs all 
men, good and bad, little and great. He 
gives them all the power and wisdom they 
have. And He overrules all. He gives us 
all the goodness we have; every good 
thought, word, and work are from Him. 
72 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



Without Him we can neither think any- 
thing right nor do anything right. Thus 
it is we are to inculcate upon them that 
God is all in all. (Sermons II, 311.) 

From the very nature of grief, which is 
an uneasiness in the mind on the appre- 
hension of some present evil, it appears 
that its arising in us on any other occasion 
than that of sin is entirely owing to our 
want of judgment. Are any of those acci- 
dents, in the language of men termed mis- 
fortunes, such as reproach, poverty, loss of 
life, or even of friends, real evils? So far 
from it that if we dare believe our Creator, 
they are often positive blessings. They all 
work together for our good. And our Lord 
accordingly commands us, even when the 
severest loss — that of our reputation — be- 
falls us, if it is in a good cause, as it must 
be our own fault if it be not, to rejoice 
and be exceeding glad." (Sermons II, 500.) 

For the Lord is King, be the people 
never so impatient; yea, the Great King of 
all the earth. Whatsoever, therefore, is 
done in all the earth (sin only excepted) He 
doeth it Himself. The Lord God Omnipo- 
tent still reigneth, and all things are so 
subject unto Him that His will must be 
73 



HEART RELIGION 

done, whether we agree to it or not; as in 
heaven, so also upon earth. Not only His 
blessed angels, but all things, serve Him 
in all places of His dominion ; those wicked 
spirits w^hich rule the darkness of this 
world and those men who are like Him He 
rules by constraint. The senseless and 
brute parts of creation, by nature, and 
those men who are like God, by choice. 
But, however it be, with or without their 
own choice, they all act in obedience to His 
will; and particularly so when in judgment 
He still remembers mere}/ and permits a 
smaller evil that He may prevent a greater. 
Then, at least, we are to acknowledge the 
hand of God in whatever instruments He 
makes use of. It makes little difference 
whether He executes His purpose by the 
powers of heaven or hell, or by the mis- 
takes, carelessness, or malice of men. If a 
destroying angel m^arches forth against a 
town or a country, it is God who empowers 
him to destroy. If bad men distress one 
or more of their fellow creatures, the un- 
godly are a sword of His. If fire, hail, wind, 
or storm be let loose upon the earth, yet 
they only fulfill His word. So certain is it 
that there is no evil (that is, no affliction 
74 



DIVINE PROVIDENCE 



or calamity, whether of a public or a 
private nature, whether it concerns only 
one or a few persons or reaches to many 
or to all of that place where it comes) in 
any place which the Lord, in this sense, 
hath not done. (Sermons II, 525.) 

We can not impute too much to Divine 
Providence unless we make it interfere with 
our free agency. I suppose that young 
woman, by saying she did not believe God 
had anything to do with it, only meant 
that the passion itself was not at all from 
God, but altogether from evil nature; she 
could not mean that God does not in a 
thousand instances draw good out of evil; 
yea, that He may not sometimes permit 
us to be overtaken in a fault to preserve 
us from a greater. (Works VI, 784.) 

The doctrine of a particular providence 
is what exceeding few persons understand, 
at least not practically, so as to apply it to 
every circumstance of life. This I want, 
To see God acting in every thing, and dis- 
posing all for His own glory and His 
creature's good. I hope it is your con- 
tinual prayer that you may see Him, and 
love Him, and glorify Him with all you are 
and all you have. (Works VI, 701.) 
75 



HEART RELIGION 



We know, indeed, that these, as well 
as all things, are ordered by unerring 
wisdom; and are given us exactly at the 
right time, and in due number, weight, and 
measure. And they continue no longer 
than is best, for chance has no share in 
the government of the world. The Lord 
reigns and disposes all things strongly and 
sweetly for the good of them that love 
Him. (Works VII, 193.) 



76 



Christian Perfection 

What It Is 

IN the thirteenth of Corinthians you have 
the height and depth of genuine per- 
fection; and it is observable Saint Paul 
speaks all along of the love of our neighbor, 
flowing indeed from the love of God. 
(Works VI, 776.) 

Entire sanctification does not imply any 
new kind of holiness; let no man imagine 
this. From the moment we are justified 
till we give up our spirits to God, love is 
the fulfilling of the law — of the whole 
evangelical law, which took the place of the 
Adamic law when the first promise of ''the 
seed of the woman" v/as made. Love is 
the sum of Christian sanctification; it is 
the one kind of holiness which is found 
only in various degrees in the believers 
who are distinguished by Saint John into 
''little children, young men, and fathers." 
The difference between one and the other 
properly lies in the degree of love. And 
herein there is as great a difference in the 
77 



HEART RELIGION 



spiritual as in the natural sense between 
fathers, young men, and babes. Every one 
that is born of God, though he be as yet 
only a ''babe in Christ," has the love of 
God in his heart — the love of his neighbor, 
together with lowliness, meekness, and 
resignation. But all of these are then in a 
low degree, in proportion to the degree of 
his faith. The faith of a babe in Christ is 
weak, generally mingled with doubts or 
fears. (Sermons II, 221.) 

What is, then, the perfection of which 
man is capable while he dwells in a cor- 
ruptible body? It is the complying with 
that kind command, ''My son, give Me 
thy heart." It is the "loving the Lord 
his God with all his heart, and with all 
his soul, and with all his m.ind." This is 
the sum of Christian perfection; it is all 
comprised in that one word — love. (Ser- 
mons II, 169.) 

There are innumerable degrees, both in 
a justified and in a sanctified state, more 
than it is possible for us exactly to define. 
I have always thought the lowest degree 
of the latter implies the having but one 
desire and one design. (Letter 235, VI, 
769.) 

78 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



^'Rejoice evermore; pray without ceas- 
ing; in everything give thanks.'' This is 
Christian perfection. Farther than this 
we can not go ; and we need not stop short 
of it. Our Lord has purchased joy as well 
as righteousness for us. It is the very 
design of the gospel that, being saved from 
guilt, we should be happy in the love of 
Christ. Prayer may be said to be the 
breath of our spiritual life. He that lives 
can not possibly cease breathing. So much 
as v/e really enjoy of the presence of God, 
so much prayer and praise do we offer up 
without ceasing, else our rejoicing is but 
delusion. Thanksgiving is inseparable 
from true prayer. It is almost essentially 
connected with it. He that always prays 
is ever giving praise, whether in ease or 
pain, both for prosperity and for the great- 
est adversity. He blesses God for all 
things, looks on them as coming from Him, 
and receives them only for His sake, not 
choosing or refusing, liking or disliking 
anything, but only as it is agreeable or dis- 
agreeable to His perfect will. (Notes, 531.) 

Perfect, adult love casteth out slavish 
fear, because such fear hath torment, and 
so is inconsistent v/ith the happiness of 
79 



HEART RELIGION 



love. A natural man has neither fear nor 
love; one that is awakened, fear without 
love; a babe in Christ, love and fear; a 
father in Christ, love without fear. (Notes 
on the New Testament, 638.) 

But it may be objected, ''If perfection 
means only that love which is consistent 
with all these infirmities [mentioned, just 
above, as occurring in the case of Mrs. 
Elizabeth Harper — 'want of a steady ad- 
vertence to the presence of God, speaking 
too many words, speaking through igno- 
rance a word not strictly true, speaking 
sometimes too quick so as to have the 
appearance of anger, omission of things 
which had better be done, such vehement 
temptations to anger, to impatience, to 
fretfulness, to immoderate sorrow, and to 
follow her own will, that at divers times 
she escaped with the skin of her teeth, and 
scarce knew whether she escaped or not'] 
then how does it differ from what is ex- 
perienced by every believer?'' I answer, 
Many are delivered from these infirmities 
in a far greater m.easure than she was. 
I judge her to have been a real witness of 
Christian perfection, but only in a low 
degree. (Works VII, 552.) 

80 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



I have frequently observed that there 
are two very different ranks of Christians, 
both of whom may be in the favor of God — 
a higher and a lower rank. The latter 
avoid all known sin, do much good, use all 
the means of grace, but have little of the 
life of God in their souls and are much 
conformed to the v/orld. The former 
make the Bible their whole rule, and their 
sole aim is the will and image of God. This 
they steadily and uniformly pursue through 
honor and dishonor, denying themselves 
and taking up their cross daily; consider- 
ing one point only, ''How may I attain 
most of the mind that was in Christ, and 
how may I please Him most.'' (Letter 195. 
VI, 7470 

From long experience and observation, 
I am inclined to think that whoever finds 
redemption in the blood of Jesus, whoever 
is justified, has then the choice of walking 
in the higher or the lower path. I believe 
the Holy Spirit at that time sets before * 
him the ''more excellent way" and incites 
him to walk therein; to choose the nar- 
rowest path in the narrow way, to aspire 
after the heights and depths of holiness — 
after the entire image of God. But if he 
' 81 



HEART RELIGION 



does not accept this offer he insensibly 
declines into the lower order of Christians. 
He still goes on in what may be called a 
good way, serving God in his degree, and 
finds mercy in the close of life through the 
blood of the covenant. I would be far 
from quenching the smoking flax, from dis- 
couraging those that serve God in a low 
degree. But I could not wish them to 
stop here. I would encourage them to come 
up higher, without thundering hell and 
damnation in their ears. Without con- 
demning the way wherein they were, tell- 
ing them it is the way that leads to de- 
struction, I will endeavor to point out to 
them what is, in every respect, ''a more 
excellent way." Let it be well remembered 
I do not affirm that all who do not walk in 
this way are in the high road to hell; but 
this much I must affirm: They will not 
have so high a place in heaven as they 
would have had if they had chosen the 
better part. And will this be a small loss? 
The having so many fewer stars in your 
crown of glory? Will it be a little thing to 
have a lower place than you might have 
had in the Kingdom of your Father? 
(Sermons II, 267.) 

82 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



What It Is Not 

There is no perfection of degrees, as it 
is termed; none which does not admit of 
a continual increase. So that how much 
soever any man has attained, or in how 
high a degree soever he is perfect, he hath 
still need to '^grow in grace" and daily to 
advance in the knowledge and love of 
God his Savior. (Sermons I, 358.) 

The highest perfection which man can 
attain while the soul dwells in the body 
does not exclude ignorance and error and 
a thousand other infirmities. Now, from 
wrong judgments wrong words and actions 
will often necessarily flow; and in some 
cases wrong affections may also spring 
from the same source. I may judge wrong 
of you, I may think more or less highly 
of you than I ought to think; and this 
mistake in my judgment may not only 
occasion something wrong in my behavior, 
but it may have a still deeper effect — it may 
occasion something wrong in my affection. 
From a wrong apprehension I may love 
and esteem you either more or less than I 
ought. Nor can I be freed from a liable- 
ness to such a mistake while I remain in a 
83 



HEART RELIGION 



corruptible body. A thousand infirmities, 
in consequence of this, will attend my 
spirit till it returns to God who gave it. 
And in numberless instances it comes short 
of doing the will of God, as Adam did in 
Paradise. (Sermons II, 168.) 

When things are viewed at a distance, 
one would be apt to imagine that no de- 
gree of sorrow could be found in a heart 
that rejoices evermore; that no right 
temper could be wanting, much less any 
wrong temper subsist, in a soul that is 
filled with love. And yet I am in doubt 
whether there be any soul clothed with 
flesh and blood which enjoys every right 
temper and in which is no degree of any 
wrong one; suppose of ill-judged zeal, or 
more or less affection for some person than 
that person really deserves. When we 
say, ''This is a natural, necessary conse- 
quence of the soul's union with a cor- 
ruptible body," the assertion is by no 
means clear till we add, ''because of the 
weakness of understanding which results 
from this union;" admitting this, the case 
is plain. There is so close a connection 
between right judgment and right tempers, 
as well as right practice, that the latter 
84 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



can not easily subsist without the former. 
Some wrong temper, at least in a small 
degree, almost necessarily follows from 
wrong judgment. I apprehend when many 
say, ''Sin must remain while the body 
remains," this is what they mean, though 
they can not make it out. (Works VI, 772.) 

But some are undeniably wanting in 
long-suffering. Christian resignation. They 
do not see the hand of God in whatever 
occurs, and cheerfully embrace it. They 
do not in everything give thanks and re- 
joice evermore. They are not happy, at 
least not always happy, for sometimes they 
complain. They say this or that is hard! 

Some are wanting in gentleness. They 
resist evil instead of turning the other 
cheek. They do not receive reproach with 
gentleness; no, nor even reproof. Nay, 
they are not able to bear contradiction 
without the appearance, at least, of re- 
sentment. If they are reproved or contra- 
dicted, though mildly, they do not take it 
well. They behave with more distance 
and reserve than they did before. If they 
are reproved or contradicted harshly, they 
answer it with harshness — with a loud 
voice, or with an angry tone, or in a sharp 

85 



HEART RELIGION 



or surly manner. They speak sharply, or 
roughly, when they reprove others, and 
behave roughly to their inferiors. 

Some are wanting in goodness. They 
are not kind, mild, sweet, amiable, soft, and 
loving at all times in their spirit, in their 
words, in their looks and air, in the whole 
tenor of their behavior; and that to all, 
high or low, rich and poor, Vvithout re- 
spect of persons, particularly to them that 
are out of the way, to opposers, and to 
those of their own household. They do 
not long, study, endeavor by every means 
to make all about them happy. They can 
see them uneasy and not be concerned; 
perhaps they make them so, and then wipe 
their mouths and say, ''Why, they deserv^e 
it; it is their own fault." 

Some are wanting in fidelity, a nice re- 
gard to truth, simplicity, and godly sin- 
cerity. Their love is hardly without dis- 
simulation; something Hke guile is found 
in their mouth. To avoid roughness they 
lean to the other extreme. They are 
smooth to an excess, so as scarce to avoid 
a degree of fawning, or of seeming to mean 
what they do not. 

Some are wanting in meekness, quiet- 
86 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



ness of spirit, composure, evenness of tem- 
per. They are up and down, sometimes 
high, sometimes low; their mind is not 
well balanced. Their affections are either 
not in due proportion — they have too 
much of one, too little of another, or they 
are not duly mixed and tempered to- 
gether—so as to counterpoise each other. 
Hence there is often a jar. Their soul is 
out of tune, and can not make the true 
harmony. 

Some are v/anting in temperance. They 
do not steadily use that kind and degree 
of food Vv^hich they know, or might know, 
would most conduce to the health, strength, 
and vigor of the body. Or they are not 
temperate in sleep; they do not rigorously 
adhere to what is best both for body and 
mind. Otherwise they would constantly 
go to bed and rise early, and at a fixed 
hour. Or they sup late, which is neither 
good for body nor soul. Or they use 
neither fasting nor abstinence. Or they 
prefer (which are so many sorts of intem- 
perance) that preaching, reading, or con- 
versation which gives them a transient joy 
and comfort before that which brings godly 
sorrow or instruction in righteousness. 

87 



HEART RELIGION 



Such joy IS not sanctified. It doth not 
tend to and terminate in the crucifixion 
of the heart. Such faith doth not center 
in God, but rather in itself. 

So far all is plain. I believe you have 
faith, and love, and joy, and peace. You 
are particularly concerned, know each for 
yourself, that you are wanting in the 
respect above mentioned. You are want- 
ing either in long-suffering, gentleness, or 
goodness; either in fidelity, meekness, or 
temperance. Let us not, then, on either 
hand, fight about words. In the thing we 
clearly agree. 

You have not what I call Christian per- 
fection. However, hold fast what you have, 
and earnestly pray for what you have not. 
(Works VI, 518.) j 

How To Attain It 

In the year 1725, being in the twenty- 
third year of my age, I met with Bishop 
Taylor's ''Rule and Exercises of Holy 
Living and Dying.*' In reading several 
parts of this book I was exceedingly af- 
fected, that part in particular which re- 
lates to purity of intention. Instantly I 
resolved to dedicate all my life to God — all 
88 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



my thoughts, and words, and actions, being 
thoroughly convinced there was no 
medium, but that every part of my life 
(not some only) must either be a sacrifice 
to God or myself — that is, in effect, to the 
devil. 

In the year 1726 I met with Kempis's 
''Christian Pattern.'' The nature and ex- 
tent of inward religion — the religion of the 
heart — now appeared to me in a stronger 
light than ever it had done before. I saw 
that giving even all my life to God (sup- 
posing it possible to do this and go no 
further) would profit me nothing unless I 
gave my heart; yea, all my heart, to Him. 
I saw that '^simphcity of intention and 
purity of affection," one design in all we 
speak or do, and one desire ruling all our 
tempers, are indeed ''the wings of the 
soul," without which she can never ascend 
to the mount of God. 

A year or two after, Mr. Law's ''Chris- 
tian Perfection" and "Serious Call" were 
put into my hands. These convinced me, 
more than ever, of the absolute impossi- 
bility of being half a Christian, and I de- 
termined through His grace (the absolute 
necessity of which I was deeply sensible of) 
89 



HEART RELIGION 



to be all devoted to God— to give Him all 
my soul, my body, and my substance. 
Will any considerate mian say that this is 
carrying matters too far, or that anything 
less is due to Him who has given Himself 
for us than to give Him ourselves — all we 
have and all we are? 

In the year 1729 I began not only to 
read, but to study the Bible as the one, 
the only standard of truth, and the only 
model of pure religion. Hence I saw in a 
clearer and clearer light the indispensable 
necessity of having ''the mind Vv^hich was 
in Christ" and of ''walking as Christ also 
walked;" even of having not some part 
only, but all the mind which was in Him, 
and of walking as He walked, not only in 
many or in most respects, but in all things. 
And this was the light wherein at this time 
I generally considered religion — as a uni- 
form following of Christ, an entire inward 
and outward conformity to our Master. 
Nor was I afraid of anything more than of 
bending this rule to the experience of my- 
self or of other men, of allowing myself in 
any the least disconformity to our Grand 
Exemplar. (Works VI, 483.) 

From the time of our being born again 
90 



CHRISTIAN PERFECTION 



the gradual work of sanctlfication takes 
place. We are enabled ''by the Spirit to 
mortify the deeds of the body/' of our evil 
nature; and as we are more and more dead 
to sin, we are more and more alive to God. 
We go on from grace to grace, while we 
are careful to ''abstain from all appearance 
of evil" and are "zealous of good works," 
as we have opportunity of doing good to all 
men; while we walk in all His ordinances 
blameless, therein worshiping Him in 
spirit and in truth; while we take up our 
cross and deny ourselves every pleasure 
that does not lead us to God. It is thus 
that we wait for entire sanctlfication, for a 
full salvation from all our sins — from pride, 
self-will, anger, unbelief; or, as the apostle 
expresses it, "go on to perfection." But 
what is perfection? The word has various 
senses: here it means perfect love. It is 
love excluding sin, love filling the heart, 
taking up the whole capacity of the soul. 
It is love "rejoicing evermore, praying 
without ceasing, in everything giving 
thanks." (Sermons I, 386.) 

All experience, as well as Scripture, 
shows this salvation to be both instanta- 
neous and gradual. It begins the moment 
91 



HEART RELIGION 



we are justified in the holy, humble, gentle, 
patient love of God and man. It gradually 
increases from that moment, as ''a grain 
of mustard which at first is the least of all 
seeds," but afterwards puts forth large 
branches and becomes a great tree; till in 
another instant the heart is cleansed from 
all sin and filled with pure love to God 
and man. But even that love increases 
more and more, till we ''grow up in all 
things into Him that is our head;" till 
we ''attain unto the measure of the fullness 
of Christ." (Sermons II, 236.) 

I have continually testified in private 
and in pubHc that we are sanctified as 
well as justified by faith. And, indeed, the 
one of those great truths does exceedingly 
illustrate the other. Exactly as we are 
justified by faith, so are we sanctified by 
faith. Faith is the condition, and the only 
condition, of sanctification, exactly as it is 
of justification. (Sermons I, 388.) 



92 



Various Advices 



WATCH and pray continually against 
pride. If God has cast it out, see 
that It enter no more ; It Is full as dangerous 
as desire. And you may slide back Into 
It unawares, especially If you think there 
is no danger of it. '^Nay, but I ascribe all 
I have to God." So you may, and be 
proud nevertheless. For It Is pride not 
only to ascribe anything we have to our- 
selves, but to think we have what we really 
have not. Mr. L , for Instance, as- 
cribed all the light he had to God, and so 
far he was humble; but then he thought 
he had more light than any man living, and 
this was palpable pride. So you ascribe all 
the knowledge you have to God, and in 
this respect you are humble. But if you 
think you have more than you really have, 
or if you think you are so taught of God 
as no longer to need man's teaching, pride 
lieth at the door. 

Do not, therefore, say to any who would 
advise or reprove you, ''You are blind; 

93 



HEART RELIGION 



you can not teach me." Do not say, 
''This is your wisdom, your carnal reason," 
but calmly weigh the thing before God. 

Always remember much grace does not 
imply much light. These do not always go 
together. As there may be much light 
where there is but little love, so there may 
be much love where there is little light. 
The heart has more heat than the eye, yet 
it can not see. And God has wisely tem- 
pered the members of the body together, 
that none may say to another, ''I have no 
need of thee." 

To imagine none can teach you but 
those who are themselves saved from sin 
is a very great and dangerous mistake. 
Give not place to it for a moment ; it would 
lead you into a thousand other mistakes, 
and that irrecoverably. No, dominion is 
not founded in grace, as the madmen of 
the last age talked. Obey and regard 
''them that are over you in the Lord," 
and do not think you know better than 
them. Know their place and your own, 
always remembering much love does not 
imply much light. 

The not observing this has led some 
into many mistakes and into the appcar- 
94 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



ance, at least, of pride. O beware of the 
appearance and the thing! Let "there be 
in you that lowly mind which was in Christ 
Jesus." And ''be ye likewise clothed with 
humility." Let it not only fill, but cover 
you all over. Let modesty and self-diffi- 
dence appear in all your words and actions. 
Let all you speak and do show that you 
are little, and base, and mean, and vile in 
your own eyes. 

As one instance of this, be always ready 
to own any fault you have been in. If you 
have at any time thought, spoke, or acted 
wrong, be not backward to acknowledge 
it. Never dream that this will hurt the 
cause of God; no, it Vv^ill further it. Be, 
therefore, open and frank when you are 
taxed with anything; do not seek either 
to evade or disguise it, but let it appear 
just as it is, and you will thereby not 
hinder, but adorn the gospel. 

II. Beware of that daughter of pride, 
enthusiasm. [Mr. Wesley meant by this, 
fanaticism or religious madness.] O, keep 
at the utmost distance from it! Give no 
place to a heated imagination. Do not 
hastily ascribe things to God. Do not 
easily suppose dreams, voices, impressions, 
95 



HEART RELIGION 



visions, or revelations to be from God. 
They may be from Him. They may be 
from nature. They may be from the devil. 
Therefore believe not every spirit, but 
try the spirits whether they be of God." 
Try all things by the written Word, and 
let all bow down before it. You are in 
danger of enthusiasm every hour, if you 
depart ever so little from Scripture; yea, 
or from the plain, literal meaning of any 
text, taken in connection with the con- 
text. And so you are, if you despise or 
lightly esteem reason, knowledge, or human 
learning, every one of which is an excellent 
gift of God, and may serve the noblest 
purposes. 

I advise you never to use the words 
wisdom, reason, or knowledge by way of 
reproach. On the contrary, pray that you 
yourself may abound in them more and 
more. If you mean w^orldly wisdom, use- 
less knowledge, false reasoning, say so; and 
throw away the chaff, but not the wheat. 

One general inlet to enthusiasm is, ex- 
pecting the end without the means; the 
expecting knowledge, for instance, without 
searching the Scriptures and consulting 
the children of God; the expecting spir- 
96 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



itual strength without constant prayer and 
steady watchfulness; the expecting any 
blessing v/ithout hearing the Word of God 
at every opportunity. 

Some have been ignorant of this device 
of Satan. They have left off searching the 
Scriptures. They said, ''God writes ail 
the Scriptures on my heart, therefore I 
have no need to read it.'' Others thought 
they had not so much need of hearing, and 
so grew slack in attending the morning 
preaching. O, take warning, you who are 
concerned herein! You have listened to 
the voice of a stranger. Fly back to 
Christ and keep in the good old way, 
which was ''once delivered to the saints" — 
the way that even a heathen bore testimony 
of — "That the Christians rose early every 
day to sing hymns to Christ as God." 

The very desire of "growing in grace" 
may sometimes be an inlet of enthusiasm.. 
As it continually leads us to seek new 
grace, it may lead us unawares to seek 
somxCthing else new, besides new degrees of 
love to God and man. So it has led some 
to seek and fancy they had received gifts 
of a new kind. 

It were well you should be thoroughly 
7 97 



HEART RELIGION 



sensible of this — the heaven of heavens is 
love. There is nothing higher in religion; 
there is, in effect, nothing else. If you look 
for anything but more love, you are look- 
ing wide of the mark — you are getting out 
of the royal way. And when you are ask- 
ing others, ^'Have you received this or 
that blessing?" if you mean anything but 
more love, you mean wrong; you are 
leading them out of the way, and putting 
them upon a false scent. Settle it, then, in 
your heart, that from the moment God has 
saved you from all sin you are to aim at 
nothing more but more of that love 
described in the thirteenth of Corinth- 
ians. You can go no higher than this till 
you are carried into Abraham's bosom. 

I say yet again. Beware of enthusiasm. 
Such is the imagining you have the gift of 
prophesying or discerning of spirits, w^hich 
I do not believe one of you has; no, nor 
ever had yet. Beware of judging people to 
be either right or wrong by your ovm feel- 
ings. This is no Scriptural way of judging. 
O keep close to *'the law and to the testi- 
mony!*' 

III. Beware of Antinomianism — ' ^mak- 
ing void the law," or any part of it, 
98 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



* * through faith . * ' Enthusiasm naturally 
leads to this; indeed, they can scarcely be 
separated. This may steal upon you in a 
thousand forms, so that you can not be too 
watchful against it. Take heed of every- 
thing, whether in principle or practice, 
which has any tendency thereto. Even 
that great truth, that ^* Christ is the end 
of the law,'* may betray us into it, if we 
do not consider that He has adopted 
every point of the moral law and grafted it 
into the law of love. Beware of thinking, 
Because I am filled with love, I need not 
have so much holiness. Because I pray 
always, therefore I need no set time for 
private prayer. Because I watch always, 
therefore I need no particular self-examina- 
tion." Let us magnify the law,'' the 
whole written Word, ^'and make it honor- 
able." Let this be our voice: I prize Thy 
commandments above gold or precious 
stones. O, what love have I unto Thy 
law! All the day long is my study in it." 

I entreat you beware of bigotry. Let 
not your love or beneficence be confined 
to Methodists, so-called only, much less to 
that very small part of them who seem 
to be renewed in love; or to those who be- 
99 



HEART RELIGION 



lieve yours and their report. O, make not 
this your Shibboleth! Beware of stillness, 
ceasing in a wrong sense from your own 
works. To mention one instance out of 
many: ''You have received," says one, 
''a grea.t blessing. But you began to talk 
of it, and to do this and that, so you lost 
it. You should have been still." 

Beware of self-indulgence; yea, and 
making a virtue of it, laughing at self-de- 
nial, and taking up the cross daily, at 
fasting or a^bstinence. Beware of censor- 
iousness ; thinking or calling them that any 
ways oppose you, whether in judgmxent or 
practice, blind, dead, fallen, or ''enemies 
to the work." Once more, beware of 
Sohndianism; crying nothing but "Be- 
lieve, believe!" and condemning those as 
ignorant or legal who speak in a m^ore 
Scriptural Vv^ay. At certain seasons, in- 
deed, it may be right to treat of nothing 
but repentance, or merely of faith, or alto- 
gether of holiness; but, in general, our call 
is to declare the whole counsel of God and 
to prophesy according to the analog],^ of 
faith. The written Word treats of the 
whole and every particular branch of 
righteousness, descending to its minutest 
100 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



branches — as, to be sober, courteous, dili- 
gent, patient, to honor all men. So, like- 
wise, the Holy Spirit works the same in 
our hearts, not merely creating desires after 
holiness in general, but strongly inclining 
us to every particular grace, leading us to 
every individual part of whatsoever is 
lovely." And this with the greatest pro- 
priety; for, a,s ^^by Vv^orks faith is miade 
perfect/' so the completing or destroying 
the work of faith, a,nd enjo3/ing the favor, 
or suffering the displeasure, of God greatly 
depends on every single act of obedience or 
disobedience. 

IV. Beware of sins of omission ; lose no 
opportunity of doing good in any kind. 
Be zealous of good works; v/illingly omit 
no work, either of piety or mercy. Do all 
the good you possibly can to the bodies 
and souls of men. Particularly ''thou shalt 
in any wise reprove thy neighbor, and not 
suffer sin upon him.'* Be active. Give no 
place to indolence or sloth; give no occa- 
sion to say, ''Ye are idle, ye are idle." 
Many will say so still; but let your whole 
spirit and behavior refute the slander. Be 
always employed; lose no shred of time; 
gather up the fragments, that nothing be 
101 



HEART RELIGION 



lost. And whatsoever thy hand findeth 
to do, do it with thy might. Be ''slow to 
speak" and wary in speaking. ''In a 
multitude of words there wanteth not 
sin." Do not talk much, neither long at a 
time. Few can converse profitably above 
an hour. Keep at the utmiost distance 
from pious chit-chat, from religious gossip- 
ing. 

V. Beware of desiring anything but 
God. Now you desire nothing else; every 
other desire is driven out; see that none 
enter again. "Keep thyself pure;" let 
your "eye" remain "single, and your 
whole body shall be full of light." Admit 
no desire of pleasing food, or any other 
pleasure of sense; no desire of pleasing 
the eye or the imagination by anything 
grand, or new, or beautiful; no desire of 
money, of praise, or esteem; of happiness 
in any creature. You may bring these 
desires back, but you need not; you need 
feel them no more. O stand fast in the 
liberty wherewith Christ hath made you 
free! 

Be patterns to all of denying yourselves 
and taking up your cross daily. Let them 
see that you make no account of any 
102 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



pleasure which does not bring you nearer 
to God, nor regard any pain which does; 
that you simply aim at pleasing Him, 
whether by doing or suffering; that the 
constant language of your heart, with re- 
gard to pleasure or pain, honor or dishonor, 
riches or poverty, is: 

All's alike to me, so I 

In my Lord may live and die!" 

VI . Beware of schism, of making a 
rent in the Church of Christ. That inward 
disunion, the members ceasing to have a 
reciprocal love ''one for another (1 Cor. 
12: 25), is the very root of all contention 
and every outward separation. Beware of 
everything tending thereto. Beware of a 
dividing spirit; shun whatever has the 
least aspect that way. Therefore say not, 
''I am of Paul, or of Apollos," the very 
thing which occasioned the schism at Cor- 
inth. Say not, ''This is my preacher, the 
best preacher in England. Give me him, 
and take all the rest.'' All this tends to 
breed or foment division, to disunite those 
whom God hath joined. Do not despise 
or run down any preacher; do not exalt 
any one above the rest, lest you hurt both 
103 



HEART RELIGION 



him and the cause of God. On the other 
hand, do not bear hard upon any by 
reason of some incoherency or inaccuracy of 
expression; no, nor for some mistakes, were 
they reaiiy such. 

Likewise, if you would avoid schism, 
obser^'e every rule of the society and of 
the bands, for conscience's sake. Never 
omit m.eeting your class or band; never 
absent yourself from any public meeting. 
These are the very sinews of our society; 
and whatever weakens, or tends to waken, 
our regard for these, or exactness in attend- 
ing them, strikes at the very root of our 
comm.unit3\ As one saith: ''That part of 
our economy, the private weekly meetings 
for prayer, examination, and particular 
exhortation, has been the greatest means 
of deepening and confirmxing ever>^ blessing 
that vvas received by the Word preached 
and of diffusing it to others who could not 
attend the public ministry; whereas, with- 
out this religious connection and inter- 
course, the most ardent attempts, by mere 
preaching, have proved of no lasting use." 

Suffer not one thought of separating 
from 3^our brethren, whether their opinions 
agree with yours or not. Do not dream 
104 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



that any man sins in not believing you, in 
not taking your word ; or that this or that 
opinion is essential to the work, and both 
must stand or fall together. Beware of 
impatience of contradiction. Do not con- 
demn or think hardly of those who can not 
see just as you see, or who judge it their 
duty to contradict you, whether in a great 
thing or a small. I fear some of us have 
thought hardly of others merely because 
they contradicted what we affirmed. All 
this tends to division; and, by everything 
of this kind, we are teaching them an evil 
lesson against ourselves. 

O beware of touchiness, of testiness, not 
bearing to be spoken to, starting at the 
least word, and flying from those who do 
not implicitly receive mine or another's 
sayings! 

Expect contradiction and opposition, 
together with crosses of various kinds. 
Consider the words of Saint Paul, ''To you 
it is given, in the behalf of Christ" — for 
His sake, as a fruit of His death and inter- 
cession for you — ''not only to believe, but 
also to suffer for His sake." (Phil. 1: 29.) 
It is given, God gives you this opposition 
or reproach ; it is a fresh token of His love. 
105 



HEART RELIGION 



And will you disown the Giver; or spurn 
His gift, and count it a misfortune? Will 
you not rather say, ''Father, the hour is 
come that Thou shouldst be glorified ; now, 
Thou givest Thy Child to suffer something 
for Thee, do w^ith me according to Thy 
will?'' Know that these things, far from 
being hindrances to the work of God, or to 
your soul, unless by your own fault, are 
not only unavoidable in the course of 
providence, but profitable; yea, necessary 
for you. Therefore receive them from God 
(not from chance) with w^illingness, with 
thankfulness. Receive them from men 
with humility, meekness, yieldingness, gen- 
tleness, sweetness. Why should not even 
your outward appearance and manner be 
soft? Remember the character of Lady 
Cutts. ^'It was said of the Roman Em- 
peror Titus, 'Never any one came dis- 
pleased from him.' But it might be said 
of her, 'Never any one went displeased to 
her, so secure were all of the kind and 
favorable reception which they would meet 
with from her.'" 

Beware of tempting others to separate 
from you. Give no offense which can pos- 
sibly be avoided ; see that your practice be 
106 



VARIOUS ADVICES 



in all things suitable to your profession, 
adorning the doctrine of God our Savior. 
Be particularly careful in speaking of 
yourself. You may not, indeed, deny the 
work of God, but speak of it, when you 
are called thereto, in the most inoffensive 
manner possible. Avoid all magnificent, 
pompous words; indeed, you need give 
it no general name, neither perfection, 
sanctification, the second blessing, nor the 
having attained. Rather, speak of the 
particulars which God has wrought for 
you. You may say, ^'At such a time I felt 
a change which I am not able to express, 
and since that time I have not felt pride, 
or self-will, or anger, or unbelief, nor any- 
thing but a fullness of love to God and to 
all mankind.'' And answer any other 
plain question that is asked, with modesty 
and simplicity. 

And if any of you should at any time 
fall from what you now are, if you should 
again feel pride or unbelief, or any temper 
from which you are now delivered, do not 
deny, do not hide, do not disguise it at all, 
at the peril of your soul. At all events, go 
to one in whom you can confide and speak 
just what you feel. God will enable him 
i 107 

i 
I 



HEART RELIGION 



to speak a word in season, which shall be 
health to 3^our soul. And surely He will 
again lift up your head and cause the bones 
that have been broken to rejoice. 

VII. Be exemplary in ail things, par- 
ticularly in outv/ard things (as in dress), 
in little things, in the laying out of your 
money (avoiding every needless expense), 
in deep, steady seriousness, and in the 
solidity and usefulness of all your conversa- 
tion. So shall you be ''a light shining in a 
dark place." So shall you daily ''grow in 
grace," till ''an entrance be ministered unto 
you abundantly into the everlasting King- 
dom of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Works 
VI, 520.) 



t08 



Profitable Reflections 



MOST of the preceding advices are 
strongly enforced in the following 
reflections, which I recommend to your 
deep and frequent consideration, next to 
the Holy Scriptures. 

On Growth In Grace 

The sea is an excellent figure of the full- 
ness of God and that of the blessed Spirit. 
For, as the rivers all return into the sea, 
so the bodies, the souls, and the good 
works of the righteous return into God, to 
live there in His eternal repose. 

Although all the graces of God depend 
on His mere bounty, yet He is pleased 
generally to attach them to the prayers, 
the instructions, and the holiness of those 
with whom we are. By strong though in- 
visible attractions He draws some souls 
through their intercourse with others. 

The sympathies formed by grace far 
surpass those formed by nature. 

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HEART RELIGION 



The truly devout show that passions as 
naturally flow from true as from false love, 
so deeply sensible are they of the goods 
and evils of those whom they love for 
God's sake. But this can only be compre- 
hended by those who understand the lan- 
guage of love. 

The bottom of the soul may be in re- 
pose even while we are in many outward 
troubles, just as the bottom of the sea is 
calm while the surface is strongly agitated. 

The best helps to growth in grace are 
the ill usage, the affronts, and the losses 
which befall us. We should receive themx 
with all thankfulness, as preferable to all 
others, were it only on this account — that 
our will has no part therein. 

The readiest way to escape from our 
sufferings is to be willing they should en- 
dure as long as God pleases. 

If we suffer persecution and affliction 
in a right manner, we attain a larger 
measure of conformity to Christ by a 
due improvement of one of the occasions 
than we could have done merely by imi- 
tating His mercy, in abundance of good 
works. 

One of the greatest evidences of God's 
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PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



love to those that love Him is to send them 
afflictions, with grace to bear them. 

Even in the greatest afflictions we 
ought to testify to God, that in receiving 
them from His hand we feel pleasure in the 
midst of the pain from being afflicted by 
Him who loves us, and whom we love. 

The readiest way which God takes to 
draw a man to Himself is to afflict him in 
that he loves most, and with good reason, 
and to cause this affliction to arise from 
some good action done with a single eye, 
because nothing can more clearly show him 
the emptiness of what is most lovely and 
desirable in the world. 

On Resignation 

True resignation consists in a thorough 
conformity to the whole will of God, who 
wills and does all (excepting sin) which 
comes to pass in the world. In order to 
this we have only to embrace all events, 
good and bad, as His will. 

In the greatest afflictions which can 
befall the just, either from heaven or earth, 
they remain immovable in peace, and per- 
fectly submissive to God, by an inward, 
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HEART RELIGION 



loving regard to Him, uniting in one all 
the powers of their souls. 

We ought quietly to suffer whatever be- 
falls us, to bear the defects of others and 
our own, to confess them to God in secret 
prayer, or with groans which can not be 
uttered; but never to speak a sharp or 
peevish word, nor to murmur or repine, 
but thoroughly vvilling that God should 
treat you in the m.anner that pleases Him. 
We are His lam^bs, and therefore ought to 
be ready to suffer, even to the death, 
without complaining. 

We are to bear with those we can not 
amxnd, and to be content with offering 
them to God. This is true resignation. 
And since He has borne our infirmities, we 
may well bear those of each other for His 
sake. 

To abandon all, to strip one's self of 
all, in order to seek and to follow Jesus 
Christ naked to Bethlehem, v»diere He was 
born; naked to the hall where He was 
scourged; and naked to Calvar}^ Vvhere 
He died on the cross, is so great a mercy 
that neither the thing nor the knowledge 
of it is given to any, but through faith in 
the Son of God. 

112 



PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



On Humility 

There is no love of God without pa- 
tience, and no patience without lowliness 
and sweetness of spirit. 

HumiUty and patience are the surest 
proofs of the increase of love. 

HumiUty alone unites patience with 
love, without which it is impossible to 
draw profit from suffering or, indeed, to 
avoid complaint, especially when we think 
we have given no occasion for what men 
make us suffer. 

True humility is a kind of self-annihila- 
tion, and this is the center of all virtues. 

A soul returned to God ought to be 
attentive to everything which is said to 
him, on the head of salvation, with a desire 
to profit thereby. 

Of the sins which God has pardoned, let 
nothing remain but a deeper humility in 
the heart and a stricter regulation in 
our words, in our actions, and in our suffer- ^ 
ings. 

The bearing men, and suffering evils in 
meekness and silence, is the sum of a Chris- 
tian life. 

God is the first object of our love; its 
s 113 



HEART RELIGION 



next office is, to bear the defects of others. 
And we should begin the practice of this 
amidst our own household. 

We should chiefly exercise our lo\'e 
toward them who miost shock either our 
way of thinking, or our temper, or our 
knowledge, or the desire we have that 
others should be as virtuous as we vdsh 
to be ourselves. 

On Prayer 

God hardly gives His Spirit even to 
those whom He has established in grace, if 
they do not pray for it on all occasions, not 
only once, but many times. 

God does nothing but in answer to 
prayer; and even they who have been 
converted to God, wdthout pra}dng for it 
themselves (which is exceeding rare), were 
not without the prayers of others. Every 
new victory which a soul gains is the effect 
of a new prayer. 

On every occasion of uneasiness we 
should retire to prayer that we may give 
place to the grace and light of God, and 
then form our resolutions, without being 
in any pain about what success they may 
have. 

114 



PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



In the greatest temptations, a single 
look to Christ and the barely pronouncing 
His name suffices to overcome the wicked 
one, so it be done with confidence and 
calmness of spirit. 

Gods command to ^'pray without 
ceasing'* is founded on the necessity we 
have of His grace to preserve the life of 
God in the soul, which can no more sub- 
sist one moment without it than the body 
can without air. 

Whether we think of or speak to God, 
whether we act or suffer for Him, all is 
prayer, when we have no other object 
than His love, and the desire of pleasing 
Him. 

All that a Christian does, even in eating 
and sleeping, is prayer when it is done in 
simplicity, according to the order of God, 
without either adding to or diminishing 
from it by his own choice. 

Prayer continues in the desire of the 
heart, though the understanding be em- 
ployed on outward things. 

In souls filled with love, the desire to 
please God is a continual prayer. 

As the furious hate which the devil bears 
us is termed the roaring of a lion, so our 

115 



HEART RELIGION 



vehement love may be termed crying after 
God. 

God only requires of His adult children 
that their hearts be truly purified, and 
that they offer Him continually the wishes 
and vows that naturally spring from per- 
fect love. For these desires, being the 
genuine fruits of love, are the most perfect 
prayers that can spring from it. 

On the Way 

It is scarce conceivable how straight the 
way is wherein God leads them that follow 
Him, and how dependent on Him we must 
be, unless we are wanting in our faithfulness 
to Him. 

It is hardly credible of how great conse- 
quence before God the smallest things are; 
and what great inconveniences sometimes 
follow those which appear to be light 
faults. 

As a very little dust will disorder a 
clock, and the least sand w^ill obscure our 
sight, so the least grain of sin which is 
upon the heart will hinder its right motion 
toward God. 

We ought to be in the Church as the 
saints are in heaven, and in the house as 
116 



PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



the holiest men are in the Church, doing 
our work in the house as we pray in the 
Church, worshiping God from the ground 
of the heart. 

We should be continually laboring to 
cut off all the useless things that surround 
us; and God usually retrenches the super- 
fluities of our souls in the same proportion 
as we do those of our bodies. 

The best means of resisting the devil is 
to destroy whatever of the world remains 
in us, in order to raise for God, upon its 
ruins, a building all of love. Then shall we 
begin, in this fleeting life, to love God as 
we shall love Him in eternity. 

We scarce conceive how easy it is to 
rob God of His due, in our friendship with 
the most virtuous persons, until they are 
torn from us by death. But if this loss 
produce lasting sorrow, that is a clear proof 
that we had before two treasures, between 
which we divided our heart. 

On Vigilance 

If, after having renounced all, we do 
not watch incessantly, and beseech God 
to accompany our vigilance with His, we 
shall be again entangled and overcome. 
117 



HEART RELIGION 



As the most dangerous winds may 
enter at little openings, so the devil never 
enters more dangerously than by little, 
unobserved incidents which seem to be 
nothing, yet insensibly open the heart to 
great temptations. 

It is good to renew ourselves from time 
to time by closely examining the state of 
our souls, as if we had never done it 
before, for nothing tends more to the full 
assurance of faith than to keep ourselves 
by this means in humility, and the exercise 
of all good works. 

To continual watchfulness and prayer 
ought to be added continual employment. 
For grace flies a vacuum as well as nature; 
and the devil fills whatever God does not 
fill. 

There is no faithfulness like that which 
ought to be between a guide of souls and 
the person directed by Him. They ought 
continually to regard each other in God 
and closely to examine themselves, whether 
all their thoughts are pure and all their 
words directed with Christian discretion. 
Other affairs are only the things of 
men; but these are peculiarly the things 
of God. 

118 



PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



On Good Works 

The words of Saint Paul, ^'No man 
can call Jesus Lord, but by the Holy 
Ghost," show us the necessity of eyeing 
God in our good works and even in our 
minutest thoughts, knowing that none are 
pleasing to Him but those which He forms 
in us and with us. From hence we learn 
that we can not serve Him unless He use 
our tongue, hands, and heart to do by 
Himself and His Spirit whatever He 
would have us to do. 

If we were not utterly impotent, our 
good works would be our own property, 
whereas now they belong wholly to God, 
because they proceed from Him and His 
grace. While raising our works, and mak- 
ing them all divine, He honors Himself in 
us through them. 

One of the principal rules of religion 
is. To lose no occasion of serving God. 
And, since He is invisible to our eyes, we 
are to serve Him in our neighbor; which 
He receives as if done to Himself in person, 
standing visibly before us. 

God does not love men that are incon- 
stant, nor good works that are intermitted. 
119 



HEART RELIGION 



Nothing is pleasing to Him but what has a 
resemblance of His own immutability. 

A constant attention to the work which 
God entrusts us with is a mark of solid 
piety. 

Love fasts when it can, and as much 
as it can. It leads to all the ordinances of 
God, and employs itself in all the out- 
ward works whereof it is capable. It flies, 
as it were, like Elijah over the plain, to 
find God upon His holy mountain. 

God is so great that He communicates 
greatness to the least thing that is done 
for His service. 

Happy are they who are sick; yea, or 
lose their life, for having done a good work. 

God frequently conceals the part which 
His children have in the conversion of 
other souls. Yet one may boldly say, 
*'That person who long groans before Him 
for the conversion of another, whenever 
that soul is converted to God, is one of 
the chief causes of it.'* 

Charity can not be practiced right un- 
less, first, we exercise it the moment God 
gives the occasion; and, secondly, retire 
the instant after to offer it to God by 
humble thanksgiving. And this for three 
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PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



reasons: First, to render Hinn what we 
have received from Him. The second, to 
avoid the dangerous temptation which 
springs from the very goodness of these 
works. And the third, to unite ourselves 
to God, in whom the soul expands itself in 
prayer, with all the graces we have re- 
ceived and the good works we have done, 
to draw from Him new strength against 
the bad effects which these very works may 
produce in us if we do not make use of the 
antidotes which God has ordained against 
these poisons. The true means to be filled 
anew with the riches of grace is thus to 
strip ourselves of it; and without this it is 
extremely difficult not to grow faint in the 
practice of good works. 

Good works do not receive their last 
perfection till they, as it were, lose them- 
selves in God. This is a kind of death to 
them, resembling that of our bodies, which 
will not attain their highest life, their im- 
mortality, till they lose themselves in the 
glory of our souls, or rather of God, where- 
with they shall be filled. And it is only 
what they had of earthly and mortal which 
good works lose by this spiritual death. 

Fire is the symbol of love ; and the love 
121 



HEART RELIGION 



of God is the principle and the end of all 
our good works. But truth surpasses 
figure; and the fire of divine love has this 
advantage over material fire, that it can 
reascend to its source and raise thither 
with it all the good works which it pro- 
duces. And by this means it prevents 
their being corrupted by pride, vanity, or 
any evil mixture. But this can not be 
done otherwise than by making these good 
works in a spiritual manner die in God, by a 
deep gratitude, which plunges the soul in 
Him as in an abyss, with all that it is and 
all the grace and works for which it is 
indebted to Him; a gratitude whereby the 
soul seems to empty itself of them, that 
they may return to their source, as rivers 
seem willing to empty themselves when 
they pour themselves with all their waters 
into the sea. 

When we have received any favor from 
God, we ought to retire, if not in our closets, 
into our hearts, and say: ^'I come. Lord, to 
restore to Thee what Thou hast given; 
and I freely relinquish it, to enter again 
into my own nothingness. For what is 
the most perfect creature in heaven or 
earth in Thy presence but a void capable 
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PROFITABLE REFLECTIONS 



of being filled with Thee and by Thee, as 
the air which is void and dark is capable 
of being filled with the light of the sun, w^ho 
withdraws it every day to restore it the 
next, there being nothing in the air that 
either appropriates this light or resists it. 

0 give me the same facility of receiving 
and restoring Thy grace and good works! 

1 say, Thine; for I acknowledge the root 
from which they spring is in Thee, and 
not in me.". (Works VI, 525.) 



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